Katharyn
by madame.alexandra
Summary: It's the second time around for the Jibbs family! ACD 'verse; in the same vein as 'Anna' this story focuses on baby number 2: Katharyn! Jibbs/Established.
1. Reproductive Artist

_a/n: Welcome to the little collection about Katharyn! more insight into the non-angsty life of this non-canon Jibbs!_

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><p><span><em>March-ish, 2018<br>Alexandria, Virginia_

_"Reproductive Artist"_

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><p>Jennifer Gibbs yawned good-naturedly and swept a bright purple highlighter across the most important information in a paragraph on constitutional law. She had already underlined it, but she wanted to reiterate it's specific relevance to the case law she was studying.<p>

She had a routine down pat these days – read a paragraph, highlight, look up to take a sip of coffee and see what Anna was doing. This time, though, when the line of purple ended and she sat back to grab her mug of coffee, she tossed the pen down and stretched.

Anna toddled from the baby gate that kept her out of the kitchen and made her way to Jenny, holding a small stuffed elephant in her hands. Jenny licked her lips and turned in the chair, holding her arms out.

"Anna," she sang gently. "What was the decision in Griswold v. Connecticut?" she asked brightly, smiling when Anna leaned on her knee and looked up at her with wide eyes. "Hmmm?"

It no longer seemed strange to her to talk out loud to the baby. It hadn't seemed strange for a long time, but now she found it helpful – Anna was an excellent sounding board for when she had to muse out lengthy legal arguments for her classes; she didn't interrupt or frustratingly contradict.

"Da Da," Anna said happily.

Jenny smirked and tickled her under the chin.

"Mm-hmm, you're _always_ mad when he leaves," she murmured, glancing at the clock. Gibbs had left for NCIS an hour and a half ago, which was usually about how long it took Anna to forget he existed until he came home at six.

Jenny touched the stuffed elephant.

"What are you and Effie doing today?" she asked, using Anna's baby word for elephant.

Anna held up the elephant and leaned forward, resting her chin on Jenny's knee.

"Effie," she repeated in her high little voice. She pursed her lips and wrinkled her nose, and then held up her hand and made a small sign, which Jenny recognized as 'juice.'

She cleared her throat and picked Anna up, carrying her to the fridge. She took a sippy cup full of apple juice and handed it to her.

"While you drink that," she began, shutting the fridge and shivering a little at the chill. "Why don't we go check on Mommy's little stick," she murmured.

She waltzed Anna into the master bedroom's ensuite bathroom and sat her down on the sink, making sure she was perched far enough back not to jump down, and keeping one hand on her knees to hold her steady.

Anna stared at her mother over the top of her cup, contently guzzling the juice. Jenny smiled at her and reached over her head to the medicine cabinet, where she grabbed a white stick from the bottom shelf and held it delicately. She was almost sure of what it was going to say, but she still took a minute before she flipped it over. She'd had the box sitting in her purse for a week, and she'd taken the test this morning half an hour after Gibbs had left for work. She'd left it to go study, unwilling to wait and stare – and here she stood.

Anna smacked her lips and held out her cup, but Jenny gently nudged it back at her. She arched her eyebrows and looked at Anna for a moment, thinking about her –this would, after all, affect Anna as much as it would affect herself and Jethro.

She turned over the pregnancy test: two pink lines.

She smiled, and then turned, presenting it to Anna. She opened her mouth in an exaggerated expression, trying to convey excitement to her firstborn.

"What do you think, baby?" she asked softly, tilting her head.

She let Anna stroke her hand, and didn't object when the fifteen-month-old took the white stick from her, staring at it. The entire bathroom seemed to flip upside down and, as a sort of cruel conformation that she was, indeed, pregnant again, Jenny whirled to the side and threw up the morning's coffee and toast in the sink.

"Mama," Anna whined, her feet kicking against the edge of the sink. "_Mama_!"

Jenny turned on the water and rinsed her mouth out, blindly reaching for some mouthwash and praying that Anna stayed still for two seconds and didn't fall off the counter. She swished Listerine quickly, splashed her face, and took a deep breath.

She laughed under her breath.

"Mama's okay, Anna," she said dryly, straightening up. She reached out to take the baby slowly, trying to gauge if she was going to be struck with morning sickness again – and then her eyes widened in horror.

"NO!" she shouted harshly, forgetting herself.

It didn't do any good; Anna already had the damn thing in her mouth when Jenny caught her. The only thing screaming at her achieved was startling her into immediate tears – although the pregnancy test _did_ fall right out of her mouth and hit the floor at Jenny's bare feet.

Jenny swept Anna into her arms and tried to soothe her before she started sobbing.

"I know, I know," she murmured. "I scared you," she soothed. She pressed a kiss to her cheek and rocked her a little.

She took a step back as Anna looked at her unhappily, and she stared down at the floor, unable to turn back time and stop her daughter from blithely chewing on probably the most unsanitary item in the entire house.

Anna held onto Jenny and whimpered, making the sign for _juice_ repeatedly against her shoulder. She turned her curly auburn head and followed Jenny's gaze, and then stared at Jenny, eyes wide and innocent.

Jenny looked up from the floor, looked at Anna sheepishly, and then looked back. She swallowed, and steeled herself, setting her shoulders back.

"Well," she declared, to herself and to the baby, "No one has to know that happened."

* * *

><p>She wasn't overly concerned about Anna's health, she was just annoyed with herself for thinking it was a good idea to let a baby Anna's age hold something and trust her not to chew on it. The slip up didn't exactly boost her confidence in herself when it came to having <em>two<em> babies to take care of in the future.

Still, she went about the rest of the day as usual – studied while Anna entertained herself with toys, then lunch – she cut up grilled cheese for Anna and had fruit herself – then they played outside, and when Anna went down for a nap Jenny finished research for an upcoming paper and lazily tried to come up with a clever idea to tell Gibbs.

She was happy – this wasn't a surprise; they'd decided they wanted another kid, and before Anna was out of her terrible twos, if it was possible – but the best part was going to be telling Gibbs. He wanted another kid badly, and she knew it was because he felt like he'd missed something when he was gone for seven months of Anna's life. Jenny, for one, was just glad that was the extent of his deployments – she'd had it a lot worse with her father.

Jenny finally decided it would be cute if she let Anna be involved, so right around the time she started dinner, she slipped the white stick into a small, clear Ziploc bag and put it in her back pocket.

She turned on some music and put Anna in her little pen – it was a convenient little thing she'd gotten from Jackie Vance that was like a colourful little fence that could be arranged in different shapes to sort of corral the baby.

Anna was smart, so about every ten minutes she figured out she could just clamor over it, and Jenny had to go place her back in – but it still cut down on the amount of time she spent darting after the baby.

Anna babbled to Jenny in her bubbly, high voice, making sounds that mimicked singing.

Jenny grinned, amused at the sound of her. She pushed stray hair out of her face and salted some boiling water on the stove, glancing at the door periodically, willing it to open. When she'd reached glance five hundred or so, it did.

Gibbs slammed the door behind him quickly, and Jenny put a hand on her hip, turning towards him. He gave her a little salute, and then searched the room.

"DA DA!" shrieked Anna, standing up in her pen. She clapped her hands. "Da Da!"

Gibbs strolled right over and picked her up, holding her high above his head and pressing kisses to her face.

"Miss me?" he growled, shifting her into a cradle and tickling her feet. "'M all yours, Annie," he promised, carrying her easily over towards Jenny. "What did you and Mom do today?" he asked, leaning over to kiss her.

Jenny put her hand on his shoulder and returned the kiss, winking.

"We learned _all_ about our constitutional rights to birth control," she sighed meaningfully. "Then we wrote a paper on the evolution of the right to privacy – "

Gibbs pretended to fall asleep, and Jenny hit him gently, rolling her eyes.

"Navy Yard?" she asked shortly.

"The analyst who works on your days off is an idiot," growled Gibbs.

"Aw, shucks," Jenny simpered, fluttering her lashes. She gave him a look. "You're biased beyond belief; you don't sleep with Kevin."

"You could do Kevin's work in your sleep," Gibbs complained. He looked at Anna, and arched his brows. "I've heard her do it," he whispered loudly. "She stress-talks to me in her sleep."

Jenny ignored him, dumping a bunch of noodles into the boiling water. It struck her as fitting that this time around, she was cooking dinner when Gibbs got home – just like she had been when she'd first found out about Anna.

She wrinkled her nose and winked at him.

"Sexy stress talk?" she asked.

He gave her a dubious look.

"Nah, half of it's in a different language, and the English part doesn't turn me on."

"Why not?"

"'Cause I'm not in to fascist fundamental group conspiracy?"

"Doesn't it get you hot that I'm so smart?"

He glared at her, and then wandered off, sitting down in the living room with Anna and stretching out to play with her. Jenny watched them for a minute and then hurried up fixing the rest of dinner.

"We need a dog," Gibbs said suddenly.

She let his statement hang as she got plates out.

"I'll humor you."

"Humor me?" he snorted. "You gonna act like I got to convince you to get a dog?"

She turned off the heating elements and started fixing plates.

"You can't have a kid without a dog," Gibbs said. "You had Ike."

Jenny made a sad face for a moment, and then sat down at the table. She gestured for Gibbs to come sit.

"She had a bottle an hour ago; I'll feed her when we're done," Jenny said, indicating he should let Anna play in the pen while they ate.

"I'll feed her," Gibbs said, shrugging. "You go take a bath or something."

"Do you know how much money I'd get for you on the black market?" Jenny asked smugly. "Hard-working husband, voluntarily takes care of baby, is moderately attractive – piercing blue eyes – "

"It's my baby, isn't it?" he interrupted, glaring at her. "You know damn well you'd never let me get away with – "

"I know, Jethro, I'm joking," she laughed.

He narrowed his eyes.

"_Moderately_ attractive?"

She burst out laughing.

"I'm the best you ever had!" he growled in mock outrage.

"The only I ever had," she muttered under her breath, cocking a brow. "With very little frame of comparison," she started – and shot him a grin, and laughed, shaking her head.

"'Sides," he drawled. "Piece of cake, takin' care of a baby."

They shared a look, because both of them knew it was the furthest thing from the truth. Jenny looked over her shoulder to check on Anna, who was lying on her back snuggling with her elephant. She turned back to Gibbs, opening her mouth, and then changed her mind.

"Did I miss anything interesting today?"

"We closed the meat puzzle case," Gibbs grunted.

"Ew. Good," Jenny murmured. She leaned forward on an elbow. "I've got a major exam in one of my classes on Friday – "

"I know," he remembered smugly.

"—so I'm going to leave early tomorrow to get some studying done while Anna is still with Ziva."

"I thought Jackie had her tomorrow?"

"Usually on Thursdays, but Kayla has something going on at school, and Jackie's on the PTA."

"You gonna be on the PTA one day?" Gibbs asked, gesturing wickedly at Anna.

"No, you are."

He glared at her. She pumped her fist in the air.

"Feminism!"

He glared again, and she rolled her eyes.

"Can you pick Anna up from Ziva's on the way home from work?"

He shrugged, and nodded.

"You sure Ziva can keep her that long, and deal with all her kids?"

"Two of them are in school; it's just Ellie, Anna, and Zach."

Gibbs made a face.

"That's a lot of brats," he drawled.

"It's only one more than you claim you want!"

"Yeah, well, she has to like hers, she doesn't have to like ours."

Jenny snorted – it was a good point, but there were very few people Jenny trusted more than Ziva with the well-being of her child.

"You wanna learn krav maga, Bananas?" Gibbs asked.

"Da Da," Anna said conversationally, sitting up. She stood and held her hands out. "Hug."

"C'mere," he grunted, beckoning.

She clamored over the pen and came towards him easily, much more easily than she had in the airport five months ago. He picked her up and held her on his lap while he finished eating.

"You want to give Mommy a break?" he asked gruffly. "We'll work on the boat some more."

He glanced up at just the right moment to catch Jen giving him an annoyed look, and he smirked.

"Kidding," he told Anna. "We'll make 'er some flash cards."

Jenny got up, taking his plate and hers to the sink.

"I'll do those," he said.

"Yep," she agreed, and rested her hand on his shoulder, bending to kiss his cheek and smooth her hand over Anna's hair. "Make them pretty, sweetheart," she requested, smiling.

She put her lips next to Gibbs' ear.

"Strip studying later, like the good ol' days," she whispered. She straightened and touched Anna's nose lightly. "That's before you," she trilled.

Anna, hardly capable of understanding the tease, smiled at her admiringly.

* * *

><p>Jenny buried her face close to Anna's for a moment after she'd dressed her for bed, pressing her nose against the baby's cheek and crinkling it up. She took a deep breath, bonding for a moment, and then lifted Anna into a standing position, handing her the plastic bag she'd been keeping all night.<p>

"This is for Daddy," she said softly, catching her daughter's eye. "You get to give it to him because you don't understand what it means," she sing-songed softly. "Your whole world is going to change," she laughed quietly.

She lifted Anna to the floor and nudged her a little.

"Night-Night time," she coaxed. "Where's Daddy?"

Anna took off at a cute little pace, darting out of the nursery and down the hall. She looked for her father in the living room, and then turned to look at Jenny curiously. Jenny crooked her little finger and scampered back into the empty room they used for storage, turning the light on.

Anna ran in unsteadily, giggling.

"Mama," she said softly. "Da Da?"

"Jethro?" Jenny called, sitting down cross-legged and pulling Anna into her lap. "Jethro, come say night-night."

Anna cuddled up to Jenny, and Jenny tapped her fingers on the plastic bag, humming softly.

"You won't be too much older," Jenny said quietly. "I don't think it will be a horrible adjustment for you. And," she paused. "You won't even have to share a room! No hand me downs," she started, and then put her hands to her lips as she heard Gibbs in the hall.

He walked past the usually empty room, then backtracked and stood in the doorway.

"Why're you in here?" he grunted.

"I followed Anna," she said primly.

Gibbs looked at them a moment, then smirked and crouched down, shifting onto his knees and crawling forward. Anna squealed in delight at him, and covered her face.

"What were you runnin' in here for?" he asked the baby, creeping closer slowly.

Jenny nudged Anna up and pointed, whispering to her. She gently pushed her towards Gibbs, encouraging her, and then leaned forward smugly to watch.

"We were rabbit hunting," she said mysteriously.

Gibbs paused, waiting for Anna to approach him. She put her hands out, clutching the white stick in the bag tightly, oblivious to it, and stumbled into his shoulder, kissing him in her baby way on the cheek.

"Whatcha got?" he asked, sitting back and pulling her onto his lap. "What's Mommy up to?" he growled, shooting her a look. "Rabbit skin to wrap you in?" he paused, squinting through the plastic and narrowing his eyes.

He looked closer, and then looked up, his eyes widening. He arched his brows, as if silently asking her a question.

Jenny leaned back, and lifted her shoulders, gesturing around.

"Anna gets to move in here," she said slowly. "It's bigger; good for the first born – "

"You're pregnant?"

She bit her lip.

"I'm probably about four weeks," she told him – judging by her last period and the scary early accuracy of these home tests.

He stared at her.

"We only scrapped your pill in January!"

Jenny laughed, clutching at her ribs and arching a brow.

"I – I know," she said breathlessly. "I'm good at this – I'm a reproductive artist … think how many kids we'd have if it weren't for that IUD – let's see, it takes me about one lay to get knocked up, we started when I was eighteen – "

He shook his head, indicating she should stop, and she whistled, not wanting to go any further herself. She kept looking at him, her lip bitten, expectant, and he grinned at her, hoisting Anna up easily under his arm and crawling over. She giggled and shrieked, her eyes wide.

Gibbs placed the baby in Jenny's lap and leaned forward to kiss her, slipping his hand into her hair. He dropped the plastic bag to the carpet next to her knee, and pressed his forehead into hers heavily long after the kiss had ended.

"We wanted them close together," she said softly, hugging Anna to her.

The baby looked up, staring with interest at her parent's hovering faces.

"Is this too close?" she went on warily.

He shook his head.

"Nah, we can do it," he said. "Can't be harder than the bunch of Marines they stuck me with in Ukraine," he growled.

She laughed hoarsely, biting her lip again.

"Well," she said weakly. "I – well … today I …" she flushed. "Anna put the stick in her mouth and chewed on it," she confessed.

Gibbs sat back a little, and she winced – why the hell hadn't she kept her pact with Anna to never speak of that? He stared at her, then looked warily at Anna, then the stick, and made a face.

"You – "

"I know where it's been!"

He looked like he was trying not to laugh.

"What where you doin' while she got it?"

Jenny looked sheepish.

"Vomiting."

Gibbs nodded, making a more sympathetic face. Anna didn't seem too fazed by the whole ordeal, and the guilty, appalled look on Jenny's face was amusing enough to make him feel better about any minor parental mishaps he had in the future – or had already had.

"If you ruined this one, we get another try," he joked.

She pinched his shoulder lightly, but accepted another kiss from him. He smirked and looked down at Anna, and she leaned back to get a better view. The baby looked up at them blithely. She lifted her hand and waved, standing and putting her hands on Gibbs.

"Da Da," she said.

"Think you can share?" he asked her.

Jenny watched him look at Anna, and almost couldn't imagine a world where his attention wasn't devoted solely to her; she'd been the center of his world since she was born. She thought, for a split second, it would be impossible for him to love another baby as much.

He kissed Anna's head, though, and gave her such a proud, smug smile – and then lunged forward to wrap one arm around Jenny and pull her close – that she knew she didn't have to worry for even a moment that Gibbs wouldn't be just as wonderful a father a second time around.

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><p><em><span>March-ish, 2018<span>_  
><em><span>Alexandria, Virginia<span>_

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><p><em>-alexandra<em>  
><em>story #222<em>


	2. Lemons and Limes

_a/n: i had a lot of fun with the pregnancy test scene in the last chapter :D _

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><p><span><em>April, 2018<em>  
><span><em>Alexandria, Virginia<em>

_"Lemons and Limes"_

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><p>He'd only been asleep two hours when he heard her up and in the bathroom again, and he shook himself awake abruptly, waiting a few long minutes before he got up and followed her.<p>

He rubbed his jaw, leaning in the doorway and yawning.

"Jen?" he asked.

She made a hoarse noise and pushed her hair back, hanging over the toilet. He sighed and turned to the sink, picking up the cup he'd been using earlier and filling it with cold water. He filled a smaller cup with minty mouthwash and crouched down, waiting until she was done and handing them both to her.

She took the mouthwash first, spit, and then swallowed a little bit of water, her eyes half-closed.

"You get any sleep?" he asked gruffly.

"What time is it?" she asked, wincing. Her throat was killing her.

"Six," he answered.

She nodded a little. She'd been fitfully asleep for the past two and a half hours, until the miserable nausea woke her up again. Her hands shook as she pushed the cups back at him and turned, her shoulders heaving again.

Gibbs frowned, shifting around and sitting down on the floor. He set the cups next to him and leaned against the bathtub, watching her warily. Considering that last time, she had only stayed in bed a little longer in the mornings and gotten irrationally irritated at him for how everything – even things beyond his control – smelled, he was unnerved and concerned about her second experience.

This marked almost an entire week of her being so sick she could barely go _two_ hours without spending _one_ hour vomiting.

She leaned back, moving her head and touching her hand gingerly to her mouth. He reached out and pulled her back slowly, careful not to make her head spin. He handed her the mouthwash and then the water, and as she sat back against him, she spit the mouthwash into the water this time and pushed it away.

"Swallowing is triggering it," she said hoarsely, breathing shallowly.

She closed her eyes and let her head fall on his chest, and he put his palm on her forehead, resting it there lightly and protectively. She took a couple of deep breaths and started to say something – instead, she thrust herself forward and retched again.

He had just enough time to lunge after her and grab her hair.

"Goddamnit," he swore, getting on his knees and then standing up. He spilled the water on accident, but ignored it, staring down at her worriedly. She mumbled something that sounded like an apology.

"No, Jen, don't apologize," he said, softening his voice. "This isn't right," he said aggressively. "You weren't like this last time."

She moaned, and then sat back, leaning heavily against the bath. She took a few deep breaths again and pushed her hair back, her eyes still closed.

"I got lucky," she lamented grimly.

She stayed very still, her lips parted as she breathed, and then she relaxed a little. Her lips trembled. He could tell she was trying not to cry, and he had no idea how to comfort her – the first day, she'd thought she was just having a bad day, but crackers and ginger ale and taking it easy – none of that was helping; she was at her wit's end, and he hated seeing it.

"You're not going in today," Gibbs said shortly.

"I can't take another sick day this week," she protested.

"The Director has a problem with it, I'll deal with him myself," Gibbs snapped.

He crouched back down, and crawled over, pulling her close to him. She licked her lips, and very gingerly rested her head on his shoulder. He rested his chin on her head and wracked his brains for something that might help – this hadn't started until about a month after she'd told him and, unfortunately, two days after her last obstetrics appointment.

The muffled sound of Anna yelling for one of them came from the monitor in the master bedroom, and Jenny groaned pitifully, shaking her head.

"She can wait," Gibbs said diplomatically. "She sounds happy."

"She's always happy in the morning," Jenny noted.

Anna was a calm, happy baby; she rarely woke up fussy or screaming. Jenny wondered if this one would be different – if these mornings, and afternoons, and nights were any indication.

Jenny grit her teeth, and a second later she was vomiting again, taking some small comfort in Gibbs' hands rubbing her back and pulling back her hair.

"Jethro," she managed weakly, when she was done.

He tilted his head to hear her better.

"You need to call in sick, too," she said shakily. "There's no one to watch Anna on Wednesdays and – " she was interrupted for another five minutes, and he sighed, still massaging her back. " – I can't handle her right now," Jenny finished, her voice cracking.

She sat back heavily and squeezed her eyes shut, covering her face and bowing her head. Gibbs tilted his head and pulled her hand away a little, his mind already made up.

"Jen," he coaxed. "Jenny," he said softly. He ran his hand through her hair and squeezed her hand, trying to catch her eye. "Hey, don't worry," he told her. "You're gonna be okay. I've got Anna today," he agreed. He pressed his lips to her temple.

Anna shrieked loudly, this time not nonsense but a very clear and inarguable 'MAMA!' at the top of her lungs.

"I'll get her," he said. "Jen, I'm calling Dr. Lange."

She protested half-heartedly, and then shifted back towards the toilet, leaning over it warily – waiting. He got up and paused in the doorway.

"You want to try that peppermint tea again?" he ventured warily.

She shrugged – it couldn't hurt – and on the way upstairs to Anna's nursery, he put a kettle on the stove to boil water.

Anna was standing in her crib when he walked in, cooing at her mobile and waiting patiently.

"Da Da," she greeted brightly. She reached for him immediately. He swung her easily over the edge of the crib he'd built, kissing her firmly on the forehead and settling her on his hip. She immediately reached for the cell phone he had in his other hand.

"Huh-uh," he grunted, holding it away from her as he dialed. "Mornin', Anna-Bees," he said warmly, smiling at her. He made a scrunchy face. "Mama isn't feeling good."

"Mama," Anna repeated. She stretched and smiled expectantly. "Want Mama."

"She'll like to hear that," Gibbs murmured, holding the phone to his ear. It took a while for Dr. Lange's office to answer, and they said she was at Bethesda, so he was transferred there.

He carried Anna to the kitchen to get her a morning snack in the form of a bottle, watching the kettle boil. It was best to give Jen some space – she liked his support, but she also didn't like being smothered, and he knew she felt terrible.

"Dr. Lange speaking," Hetty answered finally.

"Lange," he said gruffly, the military getting a hold of him. "It's Jethro Gibbs."

"Oh, hello, Gunny," she said pleasantly. "Is Jennifer alright?"

"Uh," he said. "Hetty, she's had mornin' sickness pretty bad this past week. She can't keep anything down."

"Nothing?"

Gibbs nodded his head warily, turning the stove off.

"Hi," Anna piped up, waving. She recognized the phone, and knew what it was for. "Hi," she repeated brightly. "Hi. Hi!"

"Shh," Gibbs hushed gently, bouncing her a little. He held the phone between his ear and shoulder and poured the tea. "Yeah, she's tryin' to grin and bear it, but she's not good," he said flatly.

Dr. Lange made a sound of consternation.

"Is it possible she's got food poisoning?"

"Nah, Hetty, I think it's pregnancy related."

"She is at a point where morning sickness would kick in most heavily," Dr. Lange said frankly. "But you say it's worse than it should be."

"Think so."

Gibbs now balanced his daughter, a mug of tea, and the phone, walking slowly back towards the bathroom. Jenny was still curled up near the toilet, her elbow on the edge and her face pale.

He crouched and handed her the tea. Anna tried to scramble away from him, but he held her tight, listening to Dr. Lange talk. He moved the phone away from his mouth a little.

"She wants to know if you've lost any weight," he reported gruffly.

Jenny took a slow breath.

"I'm pregnant. It's not a point in my life where I step on scales."

"She's making jokes," Gibbs told Dr. Lange dryly. "She's not thinner," he added, his own assessment.

"Terrible comment to make within earshot, I'm sure," Dr. Lange laughed – right as Jenny glared at him tiredly.

Gibbs listened again.

"Jen, you remember the last time you ate a meal? More'n rice or somethin'?"

She started to answer, shook her head negatively, and started to throw up again.

"Oh no," Anna whined. She looked at Gibbs earnestly. "Sick. Mama sick."

He nodded and kissed her again to soother her, trying to focus on the doctor and keep an eye on Jen.

"You feel like fainting?" Gibbs prodded.

"I feel like death."

Gibbs repeated her verbatim, and Hetty made a thoughtful noise.

"I've just finished a delivery in Bethesda," she stated. "Let me finish up here, and I'll drop by your home on the way back to my office. She may need to be admitted for intravenous nutrients," Hetty decided matter-of-factly.

Gibbs hesitated.

"How bad is that?" he asked warily, trying to keep his voice relaxed for Jenny's sake.

"Jethro, unless she's bleeding, I'm sure she's going to be quite alright. Miserable, it sounds like, but this does happen," Hetty assured him.

He swallowed and nodded, thanking her and hanging up. He sat down and crossed his legs, holding Anna in his lap loosely and watching as Jenny sat back, pressing her fingertips to her temples.

"What am I throwing up?" she asked hoarsely, her brow wrinkled. She had barely been able to eat for the past week, her stomach felt hollow and her throat and abdomen were sore from heaving.

"Hetty's comin' to check you out," Gibbs grunted. He nodded. "Try and drink the tea," he said. "'M gonna go get Anna breakfast," he said.

He gave her a sympathetic look as he got up and took Anna back into the kitchen, settling her in her high chair.

"Da Da," she said conversationally. She dropped her bottle on the floor and held out her hands to him. "Marshy!"

She meant Luck Charms, and Gibbs went to get them after he'd strapped her in, holding his phone to his ear to make one more call.

* * *

><p>By the time Hetty arrived, Jenny had risked leaving the bathroom and was sitting at the kitchen table carefully inhaling the scent of her tea without daring touch it. Anna was playing on the floor near her, somehow sensing she should keep quiet, and Gibbs was hovering.<p>

"No bleeding?" Hetty checked, matter-of-fact right way.

"No," Jenny said, loathe to move her head in anyway. She swallowed slowly. "Hot flashes," she revealed grimly, "but no temperature. I've been checking."

Hetty nodded critically.

"Yes, I suspect you've developed a mild case of hyperemesis gravidarum," she said.

Jenny winced, and made a small groaning noise.

"Not to worry dear – _mild_ is the key word," Dr. Lange said. "It shouldn't last, either."

"What's she s'pose to do?" Gibbs asked gruffly. "Can you give her something?"

"I want you to give her a couple of hours to buck up," Dr. Lange said, "and then bring her into my outpatient clinic. My practice partner is a midwife, and she's very good at finding a regimen to deal with this."

"IV?" Gibbs asked.

"You're right in telling me she hasn't lost a worrisome amount of weight," Dr. Lange decided. "I'll hold off on nutrients just yet."

Gibbs nodded, standing to see her out. He clarified a few things, thanked her again, and returned to the kitchen, where he sat down next to Jenny.

"You let me know when you're okay to be in a car," he said.

"Anna," she protested.

"I'll ask the neighbors to watch her for a bit," he promised. "They love her," he reminded her.

He reached out and ran his hand over hers, lacing their fingers together. Anna got up and walked over to his knee, blowing him a kiss and smiling. Gibbs grinned at her, trying to find a way to distract Jenny, lighten the mood.

"You were much easier on Mom," he said brightly.

"Yeah," Jenny said thickly, her voice raw, "I think I'm getting a two for one here."

Gibbs gave her a wary look. She happened to turn her head, saw the look on his face, and managed a smile, laughing tiredly. She pursed her lips, licking them before she spoke.

"I meant I'm getting the Anna morning sickness with this one," she said – she hadn't meant twins. "God."

She fell silent.

"This is freaking me out, Jethro," she admitted after a moment.

He picked Anna up and held her in his lap, smiling when she rested her head against his chest and watched her mother with her smart blue eyes. He ran his thumb over Jenny's knuckles, staying silent a moment.

He was unsettled, too, so he didn't have much confidence in blowing off her worry or downplaying it. He knew she felt awful, he had already figured out there was almost nothing he could do, and he found himself wishing they could skip to the part where they could tell people –

"You think Jackie or Ziva might have some advice?" he ventured.

"It's only nine weeks," she said stubbornly. "I'm not – we're not," her voice cracked. "If something's wrong, we're definitely not telling people this early."

"Jen, Hetty said it was healthy last week," he placated. "She's not worried – "

"Well, fuck Hetty – she doesn't have children – _she's_ not vomiting her guts out, _she's_ not scared," Jenny broke off, tears spilling out of her eyes.

Gibbs looked taken aback at the strong language. He looked down at Anna – he half expected her to repeat the swear word, but she didn't, and he quickly reminded himself his life wasn't an R rated movie.

Jenny hid her face and muffled a sob, and choked out a miserable apology.

"This part was in our vows, Jen," he said bluntly. "Better or worse."

He thought it might make her feel a little better, and judging by the way her cheeks twitched up some, it did. He smiled, relieved, and bounced Anna on his knee. He squeezed her hand one more time and stood up.

"Go sit on the back porch, get some fresh air," he suggested. "Or go back to bed. You start feelin' half better, come get me and I'll take you in," he said.

She nodded, wiping her face and still looking down into her untouched mug. He patted her shoulder supportively and then carried Anna with him up to the nursery to play – he'd entertain her some, talk to her about the new baby, even if she still didn't seem to get it – but most importantly, he was going to steal Jenny's iPad and try to figure out some secret, obscure way to help with nausea.

* * *

><p>The midwife, contrary to Hetty's thoughts, did recommend giving Jenny intravenous nutrients, just to be safe. He said there was little to worry about – and confirmed Hetty's diagnosis of the mildest complication – but he thought the nutrition and energy would help Jenny's morale.<p>

He also prescribed something for her, and gave some common recommendations for dealing with nausea – and said she'd probably have more luck than most women with the condition and shake it off around the start of the second trimester.

While she was hooked up to an IV in the outpatient center, Gibbs went to get her prescription filled and picked up Anna from the neighbors', killing a little time on the scenic route so Jenny would be ready to leave when he got back.

"Da Da," Anna kept saying, talking to him incoherently from her baby seat. She'd babble nonsense, though she spoke an English word or two here and there. "Sick, sick," she said. "Da Da, baby."

He looked at her sharply.

"Is that a new word?" he asked gruffly.

She tilted her head back and forth at him, and then waved one of the toys she'd been clutching.

"Baby," she repeated.

He nodded.

Yeah," he reiterated. "You been listenin'? Huh? Smarter than we think?" he asked. "Mama's having a baby."

"Baby," Anna cooed blithely.

Gibbs grinned. He parked the car outside the clinic, and was about to get out when his phone rang. He glanced at it, considered ignoring the call, and then answered.

"Dad," he said neutrally.

"Leroy, m'boy!" Jackson Gibbs greeted. "You holdin' up okay?"

Since Anna had been born, his father had been starting conversations like that. And Gibbs, now given to playing along instead of aggressively defending his fatherhood – he was pretty secure at this point – answered –

"No. Sold 'er to gypsies."

Jackson laughed, and Gibbs waited for him to go on, figuring he'd called for some significant reason. When Jackson didn't say anything, Gibbs cleared his throat.

"You okay?" he grunted.

"Doin' just fine," Jackson answered. "I's callin' to see when you and that pretty wife of yours are gonna show up next week," he said. "Can't be too soon. Been too long since I've seen my granddaughter."

"You saw her at New Year's."

"Four months ago!"

Gibbs groaned and shifted, turning back to stare at Anna. He didn't begrudge his father time with the little girl, he'd just completely forgotten they were supposed to go to Stillwater for Easter.

"Dad," he began.

"Don't you back out on me, Leroy."

"Dad," he said shortly. "Listen to me. I'm not backin' out exactly." He grit his teeth. Jen didn't want anyone knowing yet, and he wanted to respect that, but his relationship with his father was excellent these days, and he was family, so – "Look, Jen's pregnant again," he said flatly.

"Hell, really?" Jackson exclaimed. "I'll be damned! You ain't even been back a year!" he laughed.

Gibbs said nothing, and his father sobered.

"You don't sound so thrilled, son?"

"We're excited," Gibbs said dully. "She's havin' a hard time," he admitted. "Mornin' sickness wiped her out. I don't know if she's up to the trip."

"That's different," Jackson said immediately. "You bein' lazy and her bein' in a bad way are two different things. Little one okay?"

"Anna's fine."

"Other little one."

"Oh – yeah, she's healthy, baby's okay," Gibbs grunted. He paused. "She's about nine weeks."

His father sounded elated, and Gibbs let himself be happy for a moment, grinning at Anna.

"We're tryin' to get Anna to understand," he told Jackson. "You'n' her the only ones who know."

"I'll keep it quiet 'til Jenny's clear," Jackson promised. "You go on – keep me updated, though, Leroy," he said sternly. He hesitated. "She needs rest, but if she needs help with the baby or she's feelin' better, you let me know and I'll come to you."

"I'll talk to her," Gibbs promised. "She'd probably like that," he admitted – they couldn't both be taking sick days, and Jenny would enjoy having Anna around without having to chase her, if Jackson was there to help.

"Hey," Jackson said suddenly. "Your mom, when you made her sick – she'd suck on frozen fruit, limes and lemons," he advised. "Try that."

Jackson wished them well again, and Gibbs hung up, hurrying out of the car this time and unbuckling Anna. He headed in and straight back to the room where Jen was – where she looked slightly better, more colourful, and was listening to some instructions from both the midwife and Dr. Lange.

She even felt up to taking Anna and snuggling her while Gibbs handled discharge papers.

"I want to see her again before she goes back to work," the midwife said firmly. "I actually think this might be a case of her getting worse because she was dehydrated. Not many women perk up like she does just due to IV fluids," he told Gibbs. "She may have had a bad bout, and then got sicker for intervening reasons."

That sounded like a relief to Gibbs, but he wasn't ready to bank on it yet.

"I'm giving you a recipe for ginger tea, and for milk bread," the midwife said. "Things to ease her back into eating. Then graduate to bananas, applesauce, et cetera."

Gibbs nodded. He turned to help Jenny, but she was standing. Glaring at her, he took Anna. She walked out with him, her eyes a little brighter.

"'M gonna stop by the store and get this stuff," Gibbs said, shaking the recipe paper. "You can stay in the car with Anna, keep the air on."

Jenny shrugged.

"I'm okay walking. I feel better – "

"Rest," he said, glaring at her menacingly.

He managed to make her laugh, and held the car door for her, quick to buckle in Anna and get the car and the air running. He paused, and turned to her, his face reluctant and apologetic.

"I told Dad," he confessed warily. He nodded his head at her abdomen.

She frowned. She sighed.

"Jethro, I know it's the second one, but it's still better to wait – "

"I know, I know, and 'm not tellin' the guys," he groused wryly. "He called askin' about Easter. I told him you might not be up to it … didn't want to lie to him."

"I forgot about Easter," she mumbled, leaning back. She closed her eyes, looking sad. She nodded slowly. "You're right, Jethro," she admitted. "I don't want to travel, even if I'm better next week," she sighed.

"He recommended you suck on – "

Jenny sniffed and shot him a look.

"—frozen fruit … what the hell was that for?" he said, finishing and glaring at her.

She looked sheepish.

"Nothing, that's not what I thought you were going to say."

He stared at her, and then grit his teeth.

"You think I'm thinkin' about sex at a time like this?" he demanded.

She closed her eyes as if dismissing him, and then arched one brow.

"Are you?"

He opened is mouth to protest furiously – he'd been trying to help – but then he grit his teeth, starting the car aggressively and muttering to himself.

"I am _now_," he growled, defeated.

* * *

><p>That evening, after two pieces of toast and a half a mug of ginger tea, Jenny was curled comfortably on the couch watching one of her television shows. Gibbs had wrapped a bag of ice in a washcloth and given it to her for her head; she was feeling sick again, but hadn't started throwing up.<p>

The medication she'd been prescribed seemed to be working.

"Anna-Bee," he said softly, coming out of the kitchen with a beer in his hand. "It's almost bed time. When Daddy finishes this beer – "

"Jethro, that smells vile, get away from me."

He had been about to sit on the couch at Jen's feet, but immediately bolted up and stepped way, obeying. He'd do anything to avoid triggering her vomiting, and he felt guilty for even thinking beer would smell good to her.

"What should I – "

"Water," she snapped.

He meekly went about doing so, pouring the beer down the sink – it would be ruined anyway.

"Jen, you want some of this fruit?" he asked, catching sight of it.

"Mmm," she murmured. "Yes," she managed. "My mouth is watery."

"Lemon or lime sound more appealing?"

"Lime."

He cut her up a couple of hard slices and put them in a little cup. He'd just handed them to her when there was a quick knock on the front door and it swung open – and only one person ever came into their house like that –

"Colonel," Gibbs said out of habit, blinking in surprise.

Jenny's father glared at him, shutting the door.

"_General_," he growled pointedly.

"Jasper," retorted Gibbs, rolling his eyes – he routinely forgot about the Colonel's promotion, because he'd always just been the Colonel.

Jenny looked up and over the couch, lying back down slowly. She murmured hello softly, and then gently reprimanded Anna for something.

"What are you doing here?" Gibbs asked warily.

"Had a meeting in Langley," grunted Shepard. "Thought I'd stop by and see my favorite Banana."

He came forward and crouched, holding his arms out. Anna caught sight of him and scrambled up.

"Pa!" she squealed, short for Grandpa. She dashed to him and he swept her up, standing and cradling her close. She giggled and beamed at him as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"What've you been up to, pumpkin?" he asked gruffly.

Gibbs turned a light off in the kitchen, leaving only the TV and a lamp on, and the Colonel looked around. His brow furrowed, and he looked at Gibbs' narrowly, and then approached the couch.

"Jennifer?" he asked.

She raised her free hand, busy holding a lime under her nose with the other. The Colonel sat Anna down on the back of the couch, holding her so her legs dangled near Jenny and her back pressed against his uniform.

Jenny closed her eyes.

"Dad," she said tightly. "You smell like aftershave."

He took a few steps back, Anna in tow, – he didn't wear it, but he must smell like the cologne all those pricks at Langley had been wearing. He sniffed his shoulder and then went to stand by Gibbs.

Jenny smiled at him wryly and closed her mouth on a lime, swallowing some of the juice tentatively.

"I'm being punished for carrying Anna so well," she drawled dramatically.

The Colonel looked at Gibbs, and Jenny sighed, defeated.

"You can tell him," she said.

Gibbs grinned, taking Anna from his father-in-law.

"We're havin' another baby," he said smugly.

The Colonel's first reaction was to grin, then he seemed to remember he was supposed to react more aloofly than that, and he composed himself, glaring at Gibbs.

"Didn't waste any time, did you?" he demanded loudly. "You let her breathe a minute before you – "

"Oh, Jesus Christ, Daddy," Jenny muttered under her breath.

The Colonel blustered a moment, and then smiled, and then – frowned. He turned to Jenny. He eyed her critically for a moment, and then approached slowly, cognizant of his alleged smell.

"Is somethin' wrong?"

She sighed half-heartedly, inhaling the scent of another lime.

"Morning sickness," she said tiredly, "has kicked my ass."

Her father nodded, and then hesitantly sat down on the couch. He found her feet under the blanket she was covered in, and patted her comfortingly.

"Look at it this way, kid," he said earnestly, "this time, you have some bad luck at the beginning. Don't scare us all," he advised.

Gibbs tilted his head. That was a good thought – she'd had such a miraculously easy pregnancy with Anna, it was no wonder the delivery had gone south – it was more promising to think if she struggled a little this time –

He came over, sitting Anna on the couch like the Colonel had and leaning down, so he and the baby were the same height. They surrounded Jenny, and the Colonel snorted, giving Gibbs a smug look. He turned to his daughter.

Jenny looked unconvinced.

"I'd rather hemorrhage again than – "

"Jen," Gibbs said in a low voice.

She fell silent, and gave him a look that indicated she took it back. She knew how badly that had scared him; she shouldn't joke about it.

"Hey, if it's any comfort, that Princess lady had this same problem, back when she was havin' kids," Jasper said.

Jenny arched a brow.

"Kate Middleton?" she asked hoarsely.

"'M sayin' childbirth is an equalizer," the Colonel said loftily. "Except she gets to be Queen someday and you just get this idiot." He jerked his thumb at Gibbs, and Gibbs glared at him.

"Stop doin' that in front of Anna," he growled.

Anna put her thumb in her mouth, and turned her face into Gibbs' chest. Jenny smiled and tickled Anna's foot.

"Jethro, nothing Dad says will turn this baby's head against you," she murmured, and then kicked her father weakly. "I doubt Prince William spent four hours on three failed batches of milk bread before he got it right just to make sure his wife could eat something neutral."

Her father looked impressed, and gave Gibbs a nod. He sat back, looking at the TV for a moment, and then cleared his throat.

"Congratulations, you two," he said. "Is it a boy?"

"It's only _nine_ weeks," Jenny said, rolling her eyes, at the same time Gibbs drawled: "Yeah."

She sighed, and shook her head, putting another lime to her lips. Her father smacked Gibbs lightly in the back of the head for her, and Jenny tilted her head, stroking Anna's curls, coaxing the baby to look at her.

"We don't mind either way, do we, Anna Abigayle?" she murmured softly.

She remembered the struggle of boy's names, and half-hoped it was another girl; at least they'd already been down that road, and had favorites.

Anna beamed at her, and Jenny leaned forward, kissing her on the forehead. Gibbs caught her eye and smirked, and Jenny ignored her father's glare for a moment, silently grateful that this time Gibbs was going to be around uninterrupted – she was getting the distinct feeling that their jobs were going to get harder.

* * *

><p><em><span>April, 2018<span>_  
><em><span>Alexandria, Virginia<span>_

* * *

><p><em>thanks (in a sad way) to Kate Middleton for inspiration, and here's to hoping the Duchess feels better soon!<em>

_-alexandra_


	3. General Jazz

_._

* * *

><p><span><em>July, 2018<em>  
><span><em>Alexandria, Virginia<em>

_"General Jazz"_

* * *

><p>It seemed as if it had been ages since she had seen Holly Daniels, but despite the distance between them, Jennifer Gibbs had done an excellent job of keeping in touch, and staying very close. She was delighted that she was able to see Holly in person this year – and when Holly came dashing through the airport to meet her, hauling a chic designer bag and squealing a little, Jenny was amused to see how little she had changed.<p>

"Jenny!" cried Holly, dropping her bag at their feet and leaning forward to hug her old friend – gently, of course, but still affectionate and firm.

She kissed her on both cheeks and then grinned wryly.

"I learned to do that in Paris," she said breathlessly. "Did I tell you I went to Paris over the summer?"

Jenny laughed and nodded, holding Holly's hands and stepping back. She surveyed her old friend and bit her lip, wondering what Holly thought of her. The ex-Dallas Cowboys cheerleader still looked like a cheerleader, and Jenny was considerably into her second pregnancy.

Holly squeezed Jenny's hands and then released them, bending to pick up her little carry-on bag.

"You look so good," Holly said, studying Jenny. She stepped forward and held up her hands wickedly. "Can I touch it?" she asked, darting a hand threateningly towards Jenny's middle.

Jenny smacked her hand away good-naturedly and gave her a look.

"Off-limits."

"Do people really just reach out and – "

"Yes; it's unbelievable."

"Ew," Holly said, turning up her nose. "The audacity – do you let anyone touch it?"

Jenny gave her a funny look.

"Well, Jethro," she said, arching a brow.

Holly nodded – obviously. She stepped up and gestured for Jenny to lead the way.

"Checked bag?" Jenny asked.

"No," Holly drawled smugly. "You'd be so impressed – I _only_ brought a carry on."

Jenny put a hand to her heart.

"Have mercy."

"Very Uncle Jesse of you," Holly said smugly. "Marathons of _Full House _re-runs?"

"Hardly," Jenny said dryly. "Between law school, work, and Anna I don't ever watch TV – but you wouldn't believe the crap they claim is for kids these days; I bought a bunch of old television DVD sets from Amazon and I put them on for Anna when I have to study."

Holly groaned sympathetically.

"I can't believe you offered to let me stay with you," she said warily. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay in a hotel?"

"You're only here for two days; that's a silly expense," Jenny said airily, waving her hand. "We have a guestroom," she added logically.

Holly smiled at her, pushing her hair back.

"And Jedediah is totally fine with this?"

"Jethro is _fine_ with anything as long as it doesn't involve Anna being either out of his sight or upset in any way," Jenny answered, rolling his eyes.

"Ooh, I get to see Gibbs as a daddy," Holly trilled, wrinkling her nose. "I mean obviously you've told me about him, but an eyewitness experience is going to be so good – he's such a dork, Jenny, is he good at it - ?"

"He's very good."

"Oh my god – and I get to see you with a kid? I haven't even met your baby and you're having another one – god, this is so grown up – and what am I doing?" Holly laughed, and trailed off.

Jenny shook her head and laughed, steering Holly firmly towards her car. Holly took one look at it and gasped, dropping her bag dramatically and putting her hands to her head.

"No, oh Jenny – the Mustang, where's the Mustang?!" she cried.

Jenny held up her keys and smirked, unlocking and starting the car with the push of a high tech button.

"This is Betsy," she introduced. "The SUV."

* * *

><p>It took Holly the entire drive from the airport to Alexandria to emotionally deal with the disappearance of the red Mustang – she kept bringing it back up; she was still distraught when Jenny parked next to the Dodge Charger in the driveway.<p>

"What the hell is this?" Holly demanded, slamming the door of the SUV and darting to Gibbs' car. "He got to keep his?" she asked loudly.

"He _built_ his," Jenny pointed out, laughing. "Hell, _I_ helped build that – oh come on, Holly, logically there was no way we'd sell a car he built and restored rather than the Mustang."

"You could definitely get more for a hand-restored charger!" Holly whined. "And what the – he has _two_ cars? Whose sedan is this?"

"That's the federal car, he brings it home sometimes," Jenny muttered, distracted. She frowned at the car parked behind it in the drive, an impeccably polished white BMW. "This is Dad's," she added, preempting any of Holly's outrage.

"The Colonel's here?"

"I wasn't expecting him," Jenny remarked mildly.

Holly grinned, and sighed, eyeing the house as Jenny locked up the car and grabbed a few things from the back seat.

"You lost the car battle, then," Holly lamented dramatically. "Jenny, you worked your teenage years away paying for that car."

"Yeah, and _I_ took the money I got when _I_ sold it and bought the luxury kid-friendly car _I_ wanted," she emphasized, giving Holly a slightly reprimanding look. "Don't bring this up around Jethro."

"Is it a sore subject?" Holly asked, sobering a little.

"No for me," Jenny said sincerely. "He thinks I resent him because I had to get rid of my car; he wanted to just buy a third – which was completely impractical," she said, beckoning Holly down a sidewalk to the back. "It wasn't hard decision."

Holly snorted.

"Was your old man mad?"

"He was actually more enraged that for a good year I drove my daughter around in a ragtop."

Holly giggled.

"I bet that was a sight to see!"

Jenny grinned – she had enjoyed the looks she'd gotten from other mothers at the time, but she was comfortable with her new car, and she really hadn't minded selling the Mustang. She had decided that ultimately, there may come another time in her and Gibbs' lives when a sacrifice needed to be made for the kid – kids, now—and it would be his turn to take a bullet.

"What's that?" Holly asked, following Jenny up the perfectly laid concrete walk to the back door. She pointed to a hutch near a flower garden in the back.

"Sunflowers," Jenny said. "Jethro planted them for Anna."

"No, Jenny," Holly retorted. "The – "

"Oh, that's Duffy," Jenny said, opening the back door.

"Is that a Macbeth thing?"

"MacDuff," Jenny confirmed. "He's Anna's rabbit. Eh – well, Gibbs takes care of him, but Anna snuggles him."

"Jenny, why didn't you just get a dog?"

"It's kind of an inside joke," Jenny muttered sheepishly. "I'm home!" she called into the house. "Gibbs wanted a dog, but I got pregnant again and I'm not comfortable training a puppy around small children."

"They have this thing called birth control – "

"Literally never heard of it."

"I'm home, too!" Holly called.

"Jen," Gibbs said, appearing a second later. He was wiping his hands off on an oily, dirty looking rag, and he gave her a wary look. "Stop shoutin'; Anna's asleep."

"It's four p.m.," Jenny said in disbelief, shutting the door behind her. She gave him a look. "Nap time is – "

"Your Dad came over right at nap time; she wanted to play."

"Oh, god, Jethro, put your foot down."

"She wouldn't have slept anyway!"

"Then she's your responsibility when she's up until nine o'clock tonight," Jenny retorted tiredly – that wasn't exactly great news since Holly would be here, but it was manageable. "Say hi to Holly," she instructed, dipping between them and placing her purse and one of the stuffed animals she'd grabbed from the car on the table.

"Hey, Holly," Gibbs said obediently.

"That's it?" Holly asked.

She leaned forward and hugged him warmly, pressing kisses to his cheeks, as well. She grinned at him widely and looked around, taking in the house and smiling brightly.

"This house is beautiful," she complimented. "I saw Jenny's pictures – wow, though, I'm impressed."

"Thanks. Built it myself."

Jenny snorted, and Holly gave Gibbs a look. The redhead came over and kissed him on the corner of the mouth, squeezing his elbow affectionately in greeting. He put his arm around her in a light side hug.

"Where's Dad?" Jenny asked pointedly. "His car's here."

"Yeah, I know," Gibbs said, annoyed. "He showed up with new toys, wore her out – "

"Where is he, though?"

"He's asleep with her."

"_What_?"

"He said he'd put her down for her nap when she started throwin' tantrums, and when I went to check on him, he was asleep on the toddler bed."

"Where's Anna?!"

"In the rocking chair," Gibbs said with a shrug. "I took a picture – "

Jenny was already storming past him, and Holly wiggled her eyebrows at Gibbs, smirking.

"You're an idiot," she guessed smugly, placing her bag down in an out of the way place and folding her arms. "You took a picture?"

"You sayin' you'd pass up her dad in a toddler bed?" Gibbs challenged.

Holly opened her mouth to protest, and snapped it shut – he had a good point. A few moments later, Jenny's father appeared, being unceremoniously shoved into the room by his slightly annoyed daughter. He looked sheepish and disheveled. Gibbs turned and gave him a smug look.

Jenny marched around him, shaking her head.

"You cheated a toddler out of her bed."

"S'not what happened," groused Jasper Shepard moodily. "She wouldn't lay down, so I laid on the bed and tried to bribe her with a book," he explained. "She was more interested in her dolls, though – "

"So you fell asleep while my daughter played unsupervised – "

"She went to sleep eventually!"

"In the rocking chair, Dad!" Jenny snapped, exasperated. "Her little neck is going to be sore!"

"She'll be fine, Jen, she was curled up like a kitten," Gibbs placated.

Jenny gave him a withering look and shook her head – idiots, the both of them; the things they thought were cute baffled her sometimes – Anna wasn't even two years old yet! She looked at the two of them for a moment – her husband and her father, and then she let it go – the picture probably was cute.

She gestured to the two of them and gave Holly a sharp look.

"They're on the same team now," she stated ominously.

Holly grinned cheekily.

"I never thought I'd see the day," she lifted her hand, wiggling her fingers flirtatiously at the Colonel. "Hey there Colonel Jazz, remember me?"

He seemed to just notice her, and he glared at Jenny before glaring at Holly.

"General," he corrected pointedly.

"General Jazz – why how absolutely darling!" Holly trilled, stepping forward and holding her hand out.

"Christ, Miss Daniels, it's Jasper," he began, blustering, and she forced him to shake her hand and giggled, leaning forward to kiss his cheek.

"I'm perfectly old enough to call you Jazz to my heart's desire these days, _Colonel_," she said snarkily.

Jasper gave her a stony look.

"I do not think so."

"I'm the same age as your beloved daughter," Holly reminded him, placing a hand on her hip.

"You aren't old enough," retorted the Colonel, deadpan. "My daughter is seventeen."

Holly arched her brows at him, and then turned, looking between Gibbs and Jenny.

"Dementia?" she whispered in a soft, wry whisper.

"Extreme denial," Jenny corrected, giving her father a look.

She pushed her hair back and looked at the three of them, and she decided she wasn't feeling like cooking for that many people, and Gibbs probably didn't have anything ready to grill. She bit her lip and tilted her head at him a moment.

"You think Stephen is available to babysit?" she asked.

Gibbs gave her a dark look.

"He's in Maine with his girlfriend," he retorted, with grim pleasure.

"Stephen?"

"He's Anna's babysitter; he lives up the street – great kid, he's got four little sisters," Jenny explained to Holly. "Dad and Jethro hate him."

"Male babysitters," grumbled Jasper, and Gibbs made an annoyed noise of agreement.

Jenny ignored them.

"Right – okay, Dad, Holly – pizza, or Chinese?"

"Oh, I don't mind if your little girl comes out to eat with us," Holly said quickly, picking up on what was being decided. "I can't wait to meet her in person!"

Holly had seen pictures and heard stories, and seen Anna once or twice on Skype sessions with Jenny, but the last time she had seen Jenny in person had been before she was even pregnant with Anna.

"You're a better woman than I am," Jenny said dryly. "Anna isn't old enough for restaurants," she stated firmly, ignoring the moody glare Gibbs gave her – they disagreed – and arching a brow, "and when I go out to a nice place, I don't want to have to drag a diaper bag and a car seat with me."

Holly grinned, but she knew she should have expected that – Jenny was always practical, even when they were kids. The strawberry blonde looked about and considered the options.

"Pizza or Chinese food, Pizza or Chinese food," she muttered. "What's Anna's favorite?"

Gibbs and Jasper chimed in immediately –

"Pizza."

* * *

><p>In order to make sure there was enough room at the dining room table, Jenny scrapped Anna's high chair and held the baby on her lap. To her relief, Anna wasn't in a cuddly mood; she sat forward and actively tried to help feed herself – these days, Anna's cuddle moods usually meant she was jealous, as she considered her mother's abdomen to be in the way.<p>

"She's precious," Holly gushed, still going on about Anna – she'd been going on about her since the little girl had woken up and come dashing into the living room for her mother. "She's absolutely stunning, Jenny!"

Jenny flushed, smiling demurely at Holly, but Gibbs smirked at her arrogantly, nodding his head.

"She's smart," he bragged. "She walked at ten months – and she's got more words than most kids her age."

"Mmm-hmm," Jenny placated diplomatically. She looked up at Holly and grinned wryly. "I prefer to withhold comment on her smarts until she's much older," she admitted.

Jasper rolled his eyes, waving at Anna across the table.

"How is she going to take the new one, though?" Holly asked. "Does she know about it?"

"Vaguely," Jenny said.

"We tell 'er," Gibbs piped up. "She gets it sometimes. Mostly just ignores it," he snorted. "Figure she'll catch on better come November."

"Is that when you're due?"

"Officially," Jenny confirmed. "The, uh," she paused.

"Sixteenth," Gibbs grunted.

Jenny nodded, waving her hand. For some reason, she kept forgetting her due date.

"Wait, so is it a boy or a girl?" Holly asked eagerly. "It's July, you can find that out by now, right? Nina found out her baby was a boy at like … nineteen weeks," Holly recited smugly, proud of herself for remembering.

Jenny shrugged.

"I don't know," she said calmly. "I don't want to know."

She felt her father and her husband glaring at her, and she grinned wickedly, looking up at them. Holly looked around, settling her gaze on Anna.

"Uh-oh," she spoke to the baby girl. "It seems I salted a wound."

Anna raised her hand and waved.

"Hawksy," she said clearly.

"Holly," Jenny corrected. "Hol-lee," she repeated slowly, bending her head a little.

"I like hers," Holly laughed. "Hawksy," she repeated. "It's edgy. Why don't you want to know?"

Jenny shrugged again. Her father and Gibbs were quick to answer _that_ one for her.

"She's bein' stubborn," growled Jasper. "I want to know, so she decides she doesn't."

"I said I didn't want to put a boy in a girls' nursery, so she's pissed at me," Gibbs supplied, glaring at Jenny.

"God forbid a male sleep in a purple nursery," Jenny retorted, rolling her eyes. "It's not like I'd dress your son in sequined gowns, Jethro." She laughed and turned to Holly with nonchalance. "I found out Anna was a girl on accident. I never intended to know."

Holly shrugged, tilting her head.

"It makes it more exciting!" she said. "You probably get more unique things, too," she added thoughtfully. "If people think they can't definitely buy blue or pink."

"Yes, we get lots of jungle or circus themed baby gifts," Jenny said with a laugh.

"Mama," Anna piped up. "Duffy."

The little girl held up some of the carrots Jenny had cut up for her – she may be allowing a cut up piece of cheese pizza, but she wasn't enough of a slacker yet to allow her kid to subsist on junk food.

"You and Daddy can feed Duffy after dinner," Jenny soothed, kissing the top of Anna's head.

"She looks just like you," Holly said to Gibbs. "I mean – well, she's pretty, she doesn't look like a man – but she looks _just like you_!"

Jasper glared at Holly, and Jenny laughed at the smug look on Gibbs' face.

"Dad hates that," she said. "He swears she's got a Shepard nose."

"Mmm, no," Holly said decisively. "But how does she look when she's mad?" she asked.

Gibbs pointed a fork at Jenny definitely, and Jenny lifted Anna into a standing position on her lap, kissing her cheek fondly – the baby did look like her mother when she was angry or frustrated.

Holly held out her hand, gesturing between them.

"This is so surreal," she said with a laugh. "You're like – a little fairytale, except there's no godmother making it happen, you did it all by yourselves!" she squealed.

Jenny hugged Anna and glanced at Gibbs, rolling her eyes a little at Holly's sentiment. He grinned at her, winked, and then jerked his thumb at Jasper.

"No fairy godmother, just the old washed up Colonel," he mocked.

Jasper Shepard's protest that he was a general was drowned out by Holly's laughter, and Jenny was relieved her old friend's short visit was going so well; Holly was still the same carefree breath of fresh air she'd always been.

* * *

><p>Jenny shook her head a little as she handed Holly a glass of red wine and sat down next to her on the couch, balancing her own wine glass on her knee.<p>

"I could never figure out if you liked kids or not," Jenny mused, looking down at her daughter, who'd fallen asleep adorably in Holly's lap.

"Aw, I like kids," Holly said warmly, scrunching her nose and resting her hand on Anna's head. "I don't want any, but they're funny."

Jenny nodded – fair enough.

"I always thought you didn't want kids," Holly said. She shrugged. "I was wrong – hey, can you have wine?"

"I refrain in the first trimester, but my obstetrician is of the more relaxed set. Once in a while, I indulge," Jenny said, moving on to the next statement. "My mind was never on kids," she shrugged. "I mean, I never seriously considered it until I got married."

"Was it easy to know?" Holly asked curiously.

Jenny tilted her head back and forth.

"Yes," she decided. She shrugged. "I love Jethro."

Holly nodded, satisfied. She sighed, and tilted her head back, stroking Anna's little auburn curls.

"It's so crazy," she murmured. "You, Nina – I'm the only one who didn't settle down," she laughed. "Um, even Kensi Blye settled down."

"I heard. Twins?"

"Yuck," Holly confirmed brightly. "Hey, guess who I ran into at a Steelers game?

Jenny arched her brows.

"Mark."

"Your Mark?"

"My Mark!"

Jenny opened her mouth in shock.

"What's old Mark up to?"

"Well, he's married," Holly said conversationally. "His pro career lasted a whopping one season, because he sustained a spinal injury in a playoff game," she explained. "But it seems he married the physical therapist who nursed him – "

"Kids?"

"Nope, but he works for her father, who's some fancy-shmancy CEO. They belong to a country club," Holly said, turning up her nose.

Jenny giggled, and Holly shrugged.

"He's happy," she stated good-naturedly.

"You still seeing that oil guy?" Jenny asked.

"No, Feras and I broke up after Paris," Holly said lightly. "I've actually gotten close to one of the Cowboys, which is why I'm looking for a new job," she admitted.

"Vixen."

"What can I say?"

Jenny grinned and set her wine glass down, leaning forward and taking Anna off Holly and shifting her to her own lap, looking down at her protectively for a moment.

"Jethro will take her to bed in a minute," she assured Holly, and Holly shrugged. Jenny tilted her head. "You think you'll get the job with the Redskins?"

"Oh, there's a good chance," Holly said. "I have a good resume with publicity, and they are going to need a hell of a team once they change the name officially – and it would mean less moving around. I thought I'd love being sent all over the country at the drop of a hat, but I hate it. And, if Washington doesn't work out, I think the New York job is a good bet."

Jenny smiled, happy for her.

"I'd love to have you back in D.C.," she said sincerely. "It would be nice to have a friend who doesn't have kids."

"So you're not one of those moms whose whole life is kids, kids, kids – "

"_God_, no," Jenny laughed. "I have a good balance going. I have to, if I want to finish law school. I might be more panicky about leaving Anna if Gibbs wasn't as competent as he is."

"I like hearing that," Holly said. She looked down at the baby, and sipped her wine. She leaned forward. "So, what's it like?" she asked.

Jenny gave her a look.

"All of it," Holly encouraged quietly. "You're about to have another baby – is that … is it crazy? You really don't want to know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"I'm glad they're close together," Jenny said calmly. "I don't – I don't care, Holly," she smirked, "and it's fun to watch Gibbs pout about it," she laughed.

"What about, like – sex?"

"Holly."

"Okay, please do not act like you thought I wasn't going to ask."

Jenny groaned good-naturedly, and pointed to Anna. Holly made a motion to indicate the baby was obviously asleep, and Jenny glanced around, making sure Gibbs wasn't around – he was in the basement.

"We have sex all the time."

"Even when you're pregnant?"

Jenny nodded. Holly opened her mouth to ask more, but Gibbs came up the stairs, and she zipped her lips, winking at Jenny. He strolled over to the couch and looked down, smirking a little.

"Want a glass of wine, Padre?"

He shook his head. Jenny indicated to Anna, and he came around the couch and picked her up, snuggling her against his chest and quietly turning to carry her to bed. He said a swift goodnight to Holly, and placed his hand on Anna's head as he carried her to bed.

Holly gave a low whistle when he'd disappeared up the stairs.

"Don't take this the wrong way, Jenny, I have no designs – but damn, that is so sexy."

Jenny gave her a prim look, sipping on her wine.

"I know."

"Is he ready for another one?" Holly asked.

Jenny nodded.

"I think he wants a boy," she said.

"Names?"

Jenny shook her head.

"We only know we'll be using Kelly for the middle name if it's a girl," she said firmly. "Male names – God, what a disaster – Dad and Gibbs fight like animals over it," she said grudgingly. "I feel like it will be less of a struggle if we don't know the sex, and it's a boy, and we have to decide in the moment."

"I'm still rooting for a girl named Mackenzie Beth."

"You aren't suggesting Holly Kelly?"

"That sounds like a porn star," growled Gibbs, coming back into the room.

He picked up the bottle of wine Jenny had sitting on the table and replaced it in the refrigerator, turning on some water in the kitchen, presumably to do the dishes. Holly giggled and leaned her head back, sticking her tongue out at him.

"What do you want to name it, Jethro?" she called.

He grunted.

"She won't tell me what it is," he growled petulantly.

Jenny rolled her eyes.

"He thinks I know, and won't tell him," she said, rolling her eyes.

Holly gave Jenny a critical look.

"Do you?" she asked.

Jenny lifted her shoulders innocently, and gave her friend an unreadable look.

* * *

><p>Gibbs shut off the light in the bathroom and dragged his feet across the floor to bed, throwing himself down next to Jenny.<p>

"She's exhausting," he complained.

Jenny elbowed his ribs lightly. Gibbs' insistence on complaining about Holly was tradition rather than actual irritation. He was glad Jenny had gotten to see her, and he didn't mind at all putting her up.

He watched Jenny studying her law books intently, and rolled onto his side, propping his head up on his palm. He studied her intent profile, her hair tucked messily behind her ears, the healthy curve of her – he reached over and brushed his knuckles against her arm.

"Put the books away," he muttered.

She sighed as if he was asking the world of her, but did so, stretching out and turning over. He moved closer and touched her feet with his, taking a deep breath.

"Feel okay?"

She shrugged, and nodded. She hadn't appreciated how easy her pregnancy with Anna had been, because this one was much more run-of-the-mill when it came to persistent nausea, aches, pains, discomfort – et cetera.

"Did Anna wake up when you took her to bed?"

"Little," he grunted. "Know what she said?"

"Hmm?"

"'Fishies, Dada!'" He quoted. He snorted. "Must've been dreaming." He was quiet for a moment. "I'm gonna buy her a fish."

"Jethro," Jenny sighed, laughing. "You want to focus on the fact that we do have another baby coming?" she asked.

He nodded, moving his hands down over her.

"It's keeping me up," Jenny murmured, shifting a little uncomfortably. She yawned, letting Gibbs run his hands over her soothingly, and half-closed her eyes.

"Jen, you really don't want to know?"

She swallowed and rolled her eyes beneath her lids.

"I think health is a more important quality to care about."

"Yeah," Gibbs muttered, "but what if you get disappointed if you want one and it's the other, and it ruins the moment?"

"Jethro," she said, her eyes opening quickly. "You know – judging by my experience with Anna, it doesn't matter … there's no way I could be upset."

"You knew Anna was a girl."

"It doesn't matter; I'm talking about feeling like a mother, not the sex of the baby."

He nodded, flicking his eyes down.

"You want a boy or a girl?" she asked quietly.

He shrugged, and said nothing. She was completely convinced he wanted a boy. She poked him in the chest with a finger.

"I don't think another little girl could compete with Anna," she said warily.

Gibbs shook his head and gave her a kiss; he didn't feel that way, that much he knew, and he didn't want her to worry that he wouldn't have the capacity to love another kid as much. He pulled back and gave her a suspicious look.

"You swear you don't know what it is?"

She laughed, kicking him a little. She shook her head.

"No, Jethro, _God_ – I wouldn't actually do that. I just tease you when I act like I do," she snorted. "This is a compromise," she told him. "We found out with Anna, and you wanted to know. We don't find out with this one."

He made a discontent, grumbling noise, and pulled her closer, yanking some covers up around them despite the summer – he kept it cool in the house to make it more conducive to cuddling. He pressed his lips to her neck and breathed her in.

"You mind if I keep you up?" he asked huskily.

Jenny smirked, running her hand through his hair.

"Holly asked what our sex life's like now," she mused.

"What'd you tell her?" Gibbs murmured.

"Oh, that you're repulsed by me and you never touch me anymore – you find comfort in the wives of your former Marines, and I watch Lifetime movies in an attempt to – "

He punched the back of her thigh, and she squealed softly.

"I told her we're at it like rabbits," she amended.

"Mmhmm," he mumbled. "Wouldn't want to make a liar out of you."

She grinned, and kissed him, her nose pressing into his cheek. He splayed his hand over the small of her back, bunching her cotton t-shirt in his hands, and she thought for a moment about how nice it was that they were still like this, when so many couples experienced immeasurable struggle with their first baby – and here they were on a second, and pretty damn confident about it – regardless of what it turned out to be.

* * *

><p><span><em>July, 2018<em>  
><span><em>Alexandria, Virginia<em>

* * *

><p><em>-alexandra<em>


	4. Ottoman Sultans

.

* * *

><p><em><span>October, 2018<span>_  
><em><span>Georgetown, Washington, D.C.<span>_

_"Ottoman Sultans"_

* * *

><p>Jenny Gibbs was not one who thought extravagant birthday parties for very young children were appropriate and – despite his penchant for spoiling their daughter and occasionally being more permissive – neither did her husband. For Anna's first birthday, they had celebrated in a very muted, family oriented setting and had not allowed gifts.<p>

Her second birthday, though, fell a month or so before the due date of her sibling, and so in an effort to make sure Anna was firmly convinced of her permanent place in her parents' affections, Jenny had decided to give her a little bit more of a celebration.

It was still a small affair – small enough to be hosted at Jasper Shepard's townhouse, as Gibbs refused to let his wife take on the stress of being a hostess at eight months pregnant – but there were a few more guests invited than simply family.

Jackson had managed to come up from Stillwater, even though he'd already decided to come for Thanksgiving in November. The Vances attended, as well as Ziva and her family, and Saydie and Dwayne Pride, and to Jenny's delight Nina was able to make it; she'd been scheduled to be in New York for a research conference, and had changed plans at the last minute to extend her stay in the U.S. to not only include a trip to D.C., but to accommodate the accompaniment of her son. Noemi had made a cake, Gibbs and his Marines were grilling – it was pleasant.

Despite her original insistence that she was perfectly capable of hosting, Jenny was relieved she didn't have to.

"Kayla Lareina Vance, don't you dare touch that cake!" Jackie Vance growled suddenly, coming into the kitchen abruptly and catching her eldest about to sneak a taste.

"Mom!"

"You wouldn't dare help yourself to a _baby's_ birthday cake before her, would you?" Jackie asked, slathering on the guilt.

Kayla sighed and shook her head.

"Go; see if Mrs. Werth needs help with her kids – maybe you can help her entertain them, eh?"

Kayla made a face and stormed off, giving one last longing look at the cake.

"I was going to pretend I didn't see it," Jenny said with a laugh, holding up a pitcher of lemonade. "Want a glass?

"No, I'm fine," Jackie demurred. "We're always more lenient with the kids that aren't ours," she said wryly.

Jenny nodded, and glanced at the cake – it was nicely sized and very beautifully decorated; Noemi had chosen the same violet and cream colours Jenny had always used as Anna's theme.

"She's not quite a baby anymore, is she?" she asked.

"Mm-hm," Jackie murmured matter-of-factly. "Welcome to the terrible twos."

"Are they really that bad?" Jenny asked warily.

She suddenly didn't want to think about having a newborn and a two-year-old at exactly the same time. She grimaced, taking a long drink of tart lemonade, and placed a hand on her hip.

"Kayla was a nightmare," Jackie said bluntly, "but Jared only had a few nightmarish moments." She shrugged, and beckoned, coaxing Jenny to rejoin the party out back. "We can ask around," she suggested slyly.

They went through the brownstone and out into the small, cozy backyard where the guests were milling around in the fall weather, enjoying a small fire in the brick fireplace.

"Ziva," Jackie called. "Terrible twos: all it's said to be, or worse – or better?"

Ziva frowned slightly, turning and surveying the yard. She caught sight of her kids, most of them gathered around Damon and Dwayne while they showed them how to catch fireflies in Mason jars, and pointed.

"Worse, worse, inexplicably perfect," she paused, searching, and found her youngest child – and only daughter – being doted on by Noemi, "still waiting," she finished.

Ellie Werth was merely a few months older than Anna.

"Zachariah was perfect?" Jenny asked.

"Everything about Zach is perfect," Ziva said, deadpan. "The other two I want to return to the childbearing Gods on a daily basis."

Jackie snorted good-naturedly, clearly understanding the struggle of rambunctious kids – and Jenny looked over at Ziva's rowdy, male brood.

"You like having mostly boys?" she asked suddenly, her eyes still on the kids.

Ziva shrugged.

"I would not have chosen it, I do not think," she said, "but I love all of my children as it stands. I would not _change_ it."

"You like having a boy and a girl?" Jenny asked alternatively, turning to Jackie.

Jackie nodded.

"I wish Jared was the older one, but just for silly old fashioned reasons," she confessed. "You know – protective older brother."

"Ah," Jenny said.

Ziva looked amused.

"Ellie will never forgive me for having her last, then," she mused.

The three woman laughed, and Jenny took a seat on one of the wooden benches near the fireplace – it had gotten chilly quicker than usual this October, but she wasn't complaining. It was a nice day nonetheless.

"MOM!"

One of Jackie's kids yelled for her, and she went to go see what the problem was. Ziva, in an effort to save Noemi from getting stuck babysitting, retrieved Ellie and sat down next to Jenny with the toddler on her lap.

"Say hello," she instructed.

"'Lo Nee-nee," Ellie greeted sweetly.

Jenny leaned forward and smiled at her, waving. Nina sat down with them, leaning forward and resting her chin on her fist.

"Whose little girl is the one with black pigtails?" she asked cautiously, her eyes on Ziva.

"This is my only girl," Ziva said, glancing around. "Oh, I think that is Pride's daughter."

Jenny nodded.

"Ilija has developed a crush on her," Nina said warily. "He keeps pulling her pigtails. I have placed him in time out," she said.

She indicated to where her son was sitting, looking annoyed and haughty, in a corner.

"He stays there without you hovering over him?" Jenny asked, impressed.

"I threatened him with the wrath of his father," Nina said darkly, "and I asked Gibbs to glare at him once in a while."

Jenny laughed – Gibbs enjoyed glaring at small boys who annoyed little girls. It had become a favorite past time of his since Anna had decided she only liked to play with boys at the local playground.

"How old is Ilija now?" Jenny asked.

"Fourteen months," Nina answered. "It's unfortunate he's bigger than his age and walks better than he should," she said.

Jenny was amused at her lack of pride in his milestones, but then if he was in to pulling girls' hair …

She was glad Nina had been able to make it; she hadn't seen Nina since she'd been to her St. Petersburg wedding, and that had been ages and ages ago. They had, after all, both had children since then – Ilija was Nina's first and only, or so she swore, and he looked just like the swarthy, taciturn Russian Nina had married.

"Your research conference went well?"

"I made some good connections with east coast institutions," Nina answered. "There's a research fellowship I'm aiming for at Yale, to Petyr's chagrin, and I'm hoping to have it secured by the time Ilija starts school."

"Holly moved back, you're moving back – ish," Jenny said excitedly.

"You do not want to say in Russia?" Ziva asked Nina.

"Ah, no, not when it comes to Ili's schooling," Nina said firmly. "I'll move him here for the same reason my parents moved me here, now that I've had a taste of the motherland," she laughed. "My husband doesn't want to come to America – but only because he thinks we'll be forced to change Ilija to Elijah."

"You could call him by his middle name, if that is easier for American children," Ziva suggested. She turned up her nose a little. "I do not think you should have to change it for their sake, though."

"You shouldn't!" Jenny agreed.

"Well, it may happen of its own accord," Nina said simply. "As for his middle name – the poor mite would be called 'Dracula' his whole life if it came to be known his middle name was Vladimir."

"I still don't know why you did that to him," Jenny said dryly.

Nina grinned, and shrugged. She sat back, pushing her dark hair out of her eyes, and held her hands out, gesturing to Jenny.

"I'm still amazed at how good you look," she sighed. "You're on your _second_? You sure you didn't use a surrogate for Anna?"

Jenny flushed, and waved of Nina's compliment; she appreciated it, but she did not feel as gorgeous as Nina claimed. She was about to remark on how well Nina had gotten rid of her baby weight, when Jackie reappeared.

"Jared got a splinter," she said, rolling her eyes. "But look who I managed to steal away from her Daddy," she said, sitting down and passing Anna over to Jenny.

Ellie lunged forward and grabbed one of Anna's toes, giggling. Jenny shifted so they could reach each other better – babble, play, whatever took their fancy – and adjusted the green bow in Anna's hair.

Jenny leaned down and examined a small bug bite on Anna's neck and kissed it sympathetically, patting the little girl's shoulder.

"Did Daddy put bug spray on you?" she asked. "Hmm?" She nudged Anna's cheek with her nose.

"Da Da," Anna began seriously, distracted by Ellie. "Da Da hug."

"I know, he never lets you go," agreed Jenny, "because he's a basket case," she went on, grinning, "he's insane because he thinks holding you on his hip by a charcoal grill is safer than letting you get in some dirt."

Anna turned and scrunched her nose at Jenny, studying her a moment. She reached out and put one of her hands on Jenny's abdomen.

"Baby," she informed Jenny.

"Yes, but today is your day," she deflected kindly, and looked up.

She bit her lip and looked at Jackie and Ziva.

"I know you've only got one, Nina – but how did your kids react to siblings?" she asked the other two.

"Hey, I had to teach my dog to accept a baby," Nina joked.

Jenny grinned at her. Ziva looked down at Ellie playing a clumsy kind of patty-cake with Anna and shrugged.

"Well, Adam and Noah don't really know life without each other," she said logically – her first two sons were only ten months apart, by mistake or design, Jenny had never been able to figure out. "Noah loved having a baby brother," she said, pausing. "Adam was jealous, but he fell in to following Noah's lead."

Jackie nodded along.

"It's nerve-wracking, having another one," she said frankly. "Kayla and Jared are farther apart, though, she understood better. I think, you know, Anna will adjust – and it doesn't seem like there's much chance of Gibbs, at least, forgetting about her."

Jenny groaned.

"Yeah, he's a lunatic," she repeated.

"Aw, stop!" Nina cried. "Seeing him with Anna almost makes me want to have a girl and see Petyr act that way."

"You don't think Jethro would act that way with a boy – "

"No," three voices interrupted firmly, which caused Jenny to laugh, and both Ellie and Anna to jump, recognize the word as meaning _stop_!

Ziva ran a soothing hand over Ellie's head, and Jenny gave Anna a peck on the cheek, letting her know she hadn't done anything wrong.

"Speaking of boys," Saydie Pride broke in, coming up and crouching beside Jenny's bench. "I caught the tail end of the conversation – my husband is trying to marry off our daughter to this son you're allegedly having," she told Jenny.

"I've told Jethro and Dwayne and everyone a thousand times I don't know – "

"This is Dwayne, not Jethro," Saydie placated. "He insists that if it's a boy, we jump straight to _betrothing_ him to Laurel."

"He used the word betroth?"

She nodded.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Jenny asked, exasperated.

"When I ask him that question, he blames it on New Orleans," Saydie laughed, "but I highly doubt Louisiana has anything to do with him thinking we're in a Dickens novel!"

"Here's an idea," Jenny said dryly, "you have another girl, name her Estella, I'll perform some sorcery and make sure this one's a boy, Pip, and he's got a deal."

"I never liked Estella and Pip," Saydie sighed.

"Then we're at an impasse?"

"I'll go tell the husbands."

Jenny laughed as Saydie walked off to report, and she arched her brows down at her daughter.

"Gibbs would never marry you off," she told her frankly.

"He's on the Dad side now, huh?" Nina asked wryly.

Jenny rolled her eyes.

"He and my father are now this super united ridiculous team," she drawled, amused. "They still bicker like the Golden Girls, but they make all these grandiose statements about Anna when she's older and loudly agree – "

"Oh do they?" Jackie asked.

"Yeah, listen to this one," Jenny said brightly, catching Ziva's eye. "Gibbs all of a sudden declared the other day that there was no chance in hell Anna would be unsupervised in any boyfriends' apartment."

Ziva snorted, and Jackie burst out laughing.

"Did he forget the little apartment he used to lock himself up in with you?"

"No, more like he remembered what he was doing to me."

"Poor Leroy," Jackie sympathized teasingly. She gestured at Leon. "He's like that, too, though – it's funny how suddenly they realize women are people, too, when they have daughters."

"It is good for them," Ziva said abruptly. She stood up with Ellie, tossing her hair back. "I am going to make her us the restroom," she said, rolling her eyes slightly – Ziva was having issues potty-training Ellie.

She excused herself quickly, and Saydie took her place, this time with little Laurel in tow. Nina turned to her apologetically.

"I must apologize for my son's behavior – "

"No, no," Saydie waved her hand. "She's not hurt – she's learned how to say no, though, which is good and bad," Saydie laughed. "Though it seems my husband would be devastated if Saydie ran off with someone other than a Gibbs."

"What's Jethro's reaction to all this betrothal talk?" Jenny asked slyly.

"He's five seconds away from punching Dwayne – it's too funny," Saydie trailed off, and Jenny turned, searching the party until she met Gibbs' eyes.

He looked annoyed, indeed, but when he felt her looking at him he changed his expression, giving her a silent, questioning gaze that made sure she was okay. She nodded encouragingly, and then held Anna up, arching her brow – suggesting it was time for cake.

* * *

><p>The two-year-old seemed a little overwhelmed by all of the attention she got when she was sang happy birthday to, and she enlisted the help of her father for blowing out her little two-shaped candle – which yielded Jenny a priceless picture – but she definitely enjoyed the small piece of chocolate cake she was allowed at the end of all of the hullabaloo.<p>

The serving of cake and the looming end of the celebration saw everyone gathering for warmth around the fire, and Anna sat on her grandfather's lap next to Jenny, shyly smiling at everyone who paid her attention.

Jenny leaned back against the cushion Gibbs had gotten her, tired but content, enjoying all of the casual conversation.

"What are they going to name your baby brother or sister, Anna?" Saydie asked, shooting a smirk at Jenny.

Anna tilted her head curiously.

"Baby," she repeated. "Duffy," she added.

"She always says that," Jenny laughed. "We don't understand if she wants to name the baby after the rabbit, or if she means she'd rather have another rabbit."

"Can I name the baby?" Kayla asked, poking her godfather in the knee. "My middle name is after you, right? Then can I give your baby a name?"

"Kayla," Leon admonished softly.

"Her middle name is gonna be Kelly, if she's a girl," Gibbs told his goddaughter. "Know anything good that goes with Kelly?"

Kayla tilted her head, humming.

"Oooh!" she squealed. "Grace, like the princess!"

Gibbs pointed at Jenny.

"HA!" he shouted triumphantly, and Jenny resisted the urge to glare at Kayla for reawakening that desire.

"That is cute," Nina remarked. "How regal and – "

"Doomed," Jenny groused. "It's a doomed name. I'm not naming a baby Diana Spenser or Marie Antoinette or Anne Boleyn either."

"Spencer is a trendy name," Saydie commented. "For a boy or a girl."

"No, it's not," Jasper said, glaring at her. "Kid needs a good, strong traditional name," he said. "Trendy," he muttered.

Jenny shared a look with Saydie and Jackie and rolled her eyes.

She licked her lips, reaching to take Anna from her father and hug her close, fixing her curls and her hair bow again.

"I like the idea of choosing another name that's alliterative," she confessed. "Like Miss Anna Abigayle's," she said, tickling her baby a little.

Anna giggled, tugging cutely at her mother's hands to make her stop.

"Da Da, help!" she shrieked pitifully, and Jenny relented, while Gibbs smirked indulgently at the baby.

"That narrows things down, if the middle name is Kelly," Nina said.

"Know any good Russian names?" Jenny asked her. "Wait, what's your mother's name again? It's beautiful, if I remember – "

"_Nadezdah_."

"Oh."

"_No_, Jenny," Gibbs growled.

"There's Katya," Nina said.

"What if it's a boy?" Jasper interrupted, annoyed. "Its middle name isn't Kelly if it's a boy."

"It could be," Jackie said with a shrug.

She received glares from all the men in the circle, and rolled her eyes – but Jenny agreed; she didn't like Kelly as a male name.

"Name it after ME!" Adam Werth insisted, jumping up from his place on the floor.

His brother punched him in the shin.

"No, me!" he insisted.

Anna stared at them.

"No hit," she said loudly.

Ziva turned a sharp eye on her boys.

"You see? A two-year-old behaves better," she shamed. "Why should anyone name their child after you two heathens?"

Damon laughed outright, and then hastily tried to hide the laughter in a cough. He accepted an admonishing glare from Ziva, and shrugged.

"Hebrew's got some badass names, Jenny," he said. "I had to learn a bunch for Ziva," he pointed out. "Asher, Caleb, Daniel – "

"Holly would love that," Nina pointed out, amused.

"—Gabriel, Levi," he paused for dramatic effect. "Mordecai."

Ziva groaned at him, and reached over to smack his knee.

"That one's cool," Leon said, sitting forward.

Gibbs almost looked like he liked it, until he caught sight of Jenny's face and closed his mouth.

"You gonna make a guy's name all alliterative?" Jasper Shepard asked, glaring at his daughter. "Give him a bunch of pansy monograms?"

"Yeah, actually, I think John Jacob Jingleheimer Gibbs sounds nice."

"That is not funny, Jennifer."

She shrugged, amused, and looked down at Anna.

"What do you think?"

Anna shrugged, and looked around, searching until she found her father in the circle.

"Da Da," she whined. "Sleepy."

Jenny laughed.

Gibbs got up obediently, reaching for Anna, and Jenny looked around, arching her brow.

"That's it, folks – her majesty has dismissed you."

* * *

><p>Despite her dramatic announcement, Anna did not have any interest in actually going to bed until the last guest had left and she had been allowed to pat them on the head and kiss them on the cheek – an action Jenny had not prompted, but later found out her father, of all people, had trained Anna to do.<p>

Naturally, their little family was the last to leave, right behind Jackson Gibbs, and Anna performed the stunt for both of her grandfathers, giggling when they showered her with affection and kisses.

"And don't think you're off the hook when that new one comes," Jasper said, tapping Anna's chin affectionately. "I'll still expect just as much attention," he told her smugly.

Anna giggled, and beamed at him. She waved prettily as Gibbs walked his father to his car, and Jenny retreated to theirs, settling Anna in her seat in the back and falling exhausted into the front.

She hoped the car ride back to Alexandria, though not far, and the soft music Gibbs played, would lull Anna to sleep, but she was still wide-eyed – probably from sugar – when they got home.

Gibbs gave her a bath while Jenny had some tea and put away some of the gifts Anna had fortunately been given, and then changed into her pajamas and waited for them to be done with bath time.

Gibbs wrapped Anna in her fuzzy towel with adorable cat ears and brought her into the master bed, tumbling onto the bed with her so she giggled madly and was convinced he was throwing her when he really had a safe, tight grip on her.

"Night-night," he said, pointing to Jenny. "Night-night to Mama and Babes."

Anna crawled over to Jenny and puckered her lips for a kiss. Jenny snatched her up and tickled her lightly a moment, letting her lay down and snuggle up next to her while Gibbs watched from the edge of the bed.

"Sleep here," Anna said, kicking her feet. "Hugs."

She generally used the word 'hugs' for any type of cuddling she wanted, and Jenny and Gibbs understood it well.

"Anna-Bee," Gibbs began gruffly. "Night-night means we sleep in our own beds."

Jenny bit her lip, and looked up at him.

"I wouldn't mind," she relented unexpectedly.

Gibbs looked startled – Jenny was adamant that Anna not sleep in their bed, or in their room; she'd only relented when Anna had the flu as a baby, and once during a very bad thunderstorm that had terrified her.

"You feelin' okay, Jen?"

She gave him a look. She shrugged.

"I'm a little concerned, Jethro," she admitted. "I know it's hard to get her to understand what's coming – she's so little - -but I worry she will feel neglected. I know we'll love her the same, but a new baby is going to take a lot of my attention."

Jenny chewed on her lip, trying to make her worry seem sane and calm. She thought about this a lot, but she rarely voiced it. She didn't think Gibbs considered it a very big issue, but she did.

"There are horror stories out there about older siblings acting out against new babies – "

"Jen, Anna doesn't have a mean bone in her body," Gibbs said, looking at her like she was crazy. "It's gonna be an adjustment, but she's not gonna turn into Norman Bates."

Jenny wrinkled her nose.

"That's a poor analogy."

He gave her a look.

"Ottoman Sultans used to kill their siblings to cut down on competition."

"She's not an Ottoman Sultan, Jen," Gibbs said warily, glaring at her. "It's same as everything else, we got to learn balance. Triage."

"We aren't operating an emergency room."

"Nah, parenting's more like a battlefield," he grunted. "You triage battle, too."

"You treat everything like it's a battlefield."

"Well, I got experience there," he said, shrugging. "I got experience here, too, Jen," he added, stretching out and reaching to grab Anna's toes lightly and tug on them.

She nodded, glancing between them.

"I can't believe she's two," Jenny moaned.

"Yeah, she's two," Gibbs said, pausing to take it in, "and we didn't drop 'er on her head or leave her at a Supermarket – "

"She licked the pregnancy test – "

He ignored her and went on.

"We got a pretty good track record keepin' Anna alive," he drawled. "We keep doin' what we're doin', I think we're good."

"It's not our parenting I'm concerned about; I'm fairly confident in that," Jenny said dryly – and to a certain extend she was, because Anna was a very calm, sweet baby, and they'd never had any major challenges. "I don't want her to feel left out, or pushed aside – "

"You think _I'm_ gonna let that happen?" Gibbs asked skeptically.

Jenny grinned at him – the look on his face, and his tone, implied he knew exactly how much she made fun of him for adoring Anna. She licked her lips and shrugged, accepting his argument.

"I wonder if you can spare your love for Anna," she laughed lightly, "or if I'm in charge of the next one," she teased.

"Anna's my first," he said simply, shrugging. "We have another one, I'll have more'n one to focus on, make it more equal," he pointed out. "Unless it's a boy, then I'll love Anna more," he joked, leaning close and making a face at her.

She grabbed his chin and stuck her tongue out, and Jenny kicked him gently.

"'M kiddin'," he grunted sincerely.

"You want a boy, don't you?" she murmured.

He didn't answer – he never answered when she asked. This time, though, he swallowed, and responded in a way.

"If I say I want one or the other, you'll think I'm disappointed," he said bluntly. "Healthy," he said decisively, and then gave her a look. "And don't you bleed on me again," he warned warily.

She smiled and scooped up Anna, cradling her close and stroking her hair back. She furrowed her brow.

"What names are you thinking, Jethro?" she asked.

He shrugged. Once again, he knew Grace Kelly was getting shot down. He thought a moment, and frowned a little. He was drawing a blank on girls' names that started with a _K._ He had tried to steer clear of boys' names, because he and Jenny's father always started arguing about them.

"You like Nicklaus for a boy?" Jenny asked quietly, rocking Anna a little – the toddler was looking sleepier by the second.

Gibbs shrugged. It seemed like a good, strong name.

"What about naming him after your father, if it's a boy?" she pressed.

"_Your_ father would tar and feather me," Gibbs retorted bluntly.

Jenny laughed. He was right – Jasper would be pea green with envy.

"I like Caroline Kelly, but I don't want to spell Caroline with a 'k'," Jenny mumbled tiredly. "And I don't want her called Carrie, and I want a k name."

"Bossy, bossy," Gibbs growled. "You really hate nicknames, for a woman who goes by a damn nickname."

Jenny shrugged. She liked her name; she'd always been called that and it was too late to change it, but she'd always felt that Jenny had a certain inelegance compared to Jennifer, and she felt that way about most names.

"Anna," she murmured sleepily. "What do you want to name the baby?"

Anna blinked at her mother, and twisted her head, looking at Gibbs.

"Kitty," she requested thickly.

She'd been saying that word a lot lately, trying to prompt them to get a kitten, but it gave Gibbs an idea.

"Katharyn," he grunted.

"Hmm?" Jenny asked.

He shrugged.

"It's classic, traditional like Anna's – fits with Kelly, Kitty's an easy nickname for Anna," he explained.

Jenny looked at him warily, and then nodded a little hesitantly. He got up and turned the lights off, and then came back to bed, getting under covers and moving close. He kissed Jenny goodnight, and then ruffled Anna's hair, making sure they both had enough room.

"Sleep on it," he advised, and Jenny nodded, yawning.

Anna twisted out of her grip and called over to lay her head on his pillow and share with him.

"Da Da," she insisted. "_Kitty_."

He smirked at her, touched her nose, and put his finger to her lips to indicate she should quiet down and go to sleep – no need to keep Mommy up. Anna puckered her lips and shushed herself softly, nodding obediently. Gibbs watched his firstborn slowly fall asleep next to him, and then glanced over at Jenny – he hadn't ever admitted it, but he was anxious about Anna's reaction to a new sibling, too – particularly if they ended up with a girl named Katharyn, and had to try to explain to Anna that _this_ was her kitty.

* * *

><p><em><span>October, 2018<span>_  
><em><span>Georgetown, Washington, D.C.<span>_

* * *

><p><em>-alexandra.<em>


	5. Katharyn

_a/n: could not pass up a chance to have a marine corps birthday baby!_

* * *

><p><span><em>November 10th, 2018<em>  
><span><em>Bethesda, Maryland<em>

_"Katharyn"_

* * *

><p>She took the stairs up from the buzzing linguistics and intelligence office on one of NCIS' lower floors with a stack of reports in her left hand and a grimace on her face. She generally took the elevator these days, except walking was allegedly good for you when you were in labor – or so she'd heard.<p>

When she'd had Anna, there hadn't been much time for anything; she had arrived in the blink of an eye.

As it stood, she had woken up this morning with mild pains that ended up being so far apart she ignored them, until about an hour ago when she'd calmly realized she probably needed to go to Bethesda – like, now. Hence, she was on her way up to tell her husband.

She was glad it was his second baby, so there would most likely be no panicked freak-out in the middle of the bullpen. Though he hadn't necessarily freaked out when she'd told him Anna was on her way, he had stared at her blankly for a full five-minutes and not snapped out of it until she took the keys from him and went and sat in the car by herself.

She smiled a little at the memory, and pushed open the staircase door to the main floor. She breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of human activity; it was so much better than the technical buzz of the intelligence analysis and linguistics room – where every once in a while furious typing or a sneeze broke the monitoring monotony.

If she were lucky, there wouldn't be much going on in the bullpen.

She approached the entrance to the Major Crime Response Team's unit, and stopped in her tracks – the only person sitting down was Nikki Jardine, and she was on the phone and furiously working at a computer. There were about a thousand things on two different screens, and Riley McAlister, Gibbs' boss, was having a terse, angry conversation on the phone.

Jenny bit her lip, wary of interrupting. Before she could come up with a way, one of Gibbs' team members turned and gave her a little wave.

"Hi there, Mrs. Gibbs," he said brightly, nudging Gibbs' shoulder.

"Hello, Harmon," she greeted pleasantly.

Harmon Rabb, of equal seniority with Gibbs, had also come in straight from the military – Air Force, though – and skipped FLET-C because of higher qualifications.

"How's Mac?" she asked.

"She's well," Rabb answered. "She's in Yemen right now," he said breezily.

Jenny didn't ask why. She didn't think she was allowed to – Rabb probably didn't know anyway.

Jenny approached, coming to stand next to Gibbs.

"I've got your linguistics analysis on the Autopsy case – the man who infiltrated spoke a British-accented Arabic that had some Gaza-area slang – an Israeli friend of mine actually helped me analyze it," she explained. "And, the intelligence on the arms dealing group actually points to a woman," Jenny handed over some files quickly.

Jardine got off the phone and lunged forward.

"Metro thinks they've got him – car chase on sixty-six, headed towards Front Royal," she said.

McAlister grabbed his bag, and started snapping.

"Shepard, you don't got to deliver files personally so you can flirt with your husband," he groused moodily. "Just fax 'em agency priority."

Jenny ignored him. She knew McAlister liked her in his own way, but she never got involved with his teasing just in case he was serious and her quick retorts made trouble for Gibbs.

"I need him a minute," she said placidly.

Gibbs met her eyes and tilted his head questioningly. She pointed her finger subtly to the side and he moved over towards his desk with her, arching his brows. She paused, glanced at his team, and then licked her lips.

"I am going to leave," she said simply, "because I am in labor."

He stared at her, and then it turned into a glare, and he narrowed his eyes.

"_How_ in labor?" he growled.

"Well," she said delicately. "It started this morning – "

"_Jen_!"

"—but there was no point in sitting in a hospital for hours while nothing happened – "

"JEN!"

"—but now, it seems," she winced a little, "imminent, in a manner of speaking."

His teammates were staring at him.

"Gibbs," McAlister said sharply. "Save the bickering for the bedroom; we got to go."

Gibbs turned on him sharply, opening his mouth. Jenny caught his arm and yanked him back gently, shaking her head.

"I'll go in," she said softly. "They still aren't very close – I'll call Dad, or I'll see if Ziva can bring Anna by the hospital for a little while," she placated. "You go."

"Jenny," he said curtly, "'M not goin' off to chase some son of a bitch while you have a baby," he said loudly.

"You're having the baby?" Agent Jardine asked, her voice going up squeakily.

"Whoa, you okay Shepard?" Harmon piped up.

She held up her hands – and smirked at McAlister's annoyed swearing – and looked at them.

"I'm fine," she said coolly. "I have done this before – "

"Gibbs, we got to go," McAlister growled. "I can't have one agent without back-up on this."

"Go," Jenny mouthed, poking him in the chest. She saw the furious protest on her husband's face, and turned to Rabb matter-of-factly. "Which case is it?" she demanded.

"Oh, uh," he began. "Kyle Boone."

Jenny gave Gibbs a sharp look.

"If you can get that bastard, you get him," she said sharply. "I won't forgive you if Anna has to grow up in a world where he's on the loose."

Gibbs looked torn, impossibly conflicted – angry – but she rested her hand on his shoulder and squeezed, trying to convey that she understood; she'd spent quite a few years as a Marine's wife, after all; she knew the importance of the service, and sometimes NCIS was no different.

"I'll be okay," she promised.

He swallowed and turned to grab his stuff, tossing his keys shakily to Jardine so she would drive. He stepped forward and kissed Jenny on the cheek, running his palm lightly over her hair.

"Jen," he said tightly, meeting her eyes. "Get someone there with you," he ordered.

She nodded, and waved him off. As his team dashed off to catch a killer, she checked her watch, noting the time so she'd be able to accurately report to Hetty, and she tried to decide if she was best off driving herself, or taking the metro to Bethesda.

* * *

><p>Semi-comfortably laid up in a delivery room, Jenny pulled her phone away from her face and ended a call; sweeping her thumb around on the touch screen to return it to a game Anna was entertaining herself with. She handed it back.<p>

"Remember," she instructed gently. "Careful!"

She sighed and pushed her hair back, holding her hand on her head for a moment. She let out a deep breath.

"My father is getting out of a meeting," she said, turning her head. She gave her companion a wary look. "You'll be off the hook soon."

Damon Werth shrugged, and grinned a lopsided grin at her.

"Hey, I done it four times," he said lightly. He gestured. "Well, I mean, _I_ haven't done it, but I been around, when Ziva … "

"Damon, I'm not going to snap at you."

"Oh thank God," he said quickly. He leaned forward in his chair and rubbed his jaw. "Ziva gets really irritable during," he paused, "_this_."

"Give her a break," Jenny laughed sympathetically. "She eschews the drugs!"

Damon nodded, turning his warm eyes on Anna for a moment. Jenny was slightly amused at the situation, but she was dealing with it - she had first called her father to see if he would pick up Anna and bring her over, but he'd been in a meeting and hadn't answered. She had then called Jackie, to see if Jackie could pick up Anna and bring her over, but Jackie and Leon were in Brooklyn visiting her father. She had finally called Ziva – she'd been trying to avoid it, because she knew Ziva was at home with her four kids and Anna, but it became imperative.

It turned out Adam and Noah had a day full of soccer games, so Ziva was at the recreational fields and Damon had the day off from his contracting job, so he'd been at home with Anna and Ellie while Ziva had the older boys and Zach.

With a lot of maneuvering, Damon had ended up being the one at the hospital with Jenny while they waited for labor to speed up or Gibbs to arrive – whichever came first.

Anna shifted and crawled closer to Jenny, turning and snuggling into her arm and handing her the phone, apparently bored. It was the only reason Jenny sometimes let her play with it; it never held her attention long.

Jenny stroked her hair and looked at Damon wryly.

"If I'd known Ziva had so much going on today, I'd have found someone else to watch her," she said, apologetic. It had just happened to work out – unfortunately – that Gibbs was scheduled for weekend duty, and Jenny always worked a Saturday NCIS shift.

"Nah, Ziva loves it," Damon said firmly. "Y'know, she claimed she didn't want children for a year or so, and now half the time I think she wants another one."

"Jesus."

"She just likes seein' Ellie and Anna play," he said. "Reminds her of her sister, I guess."

"Ah," Jenny said. "Well – now she's got all four kids at the rec fields, and you're here playing husband to me instead of her – "

"You shouldn't be alone, just waitin'," he said amicably.

"I appreciate it," Jenny said, turning and smiling at Anna. She tilted the little girl's head up. "It's nice to spend some time with her for the last few hours she's an only child."

"Yeah, and I'm sure Gibbs'll show up."

"If he doesn't, don't be offended if I kick you out."

"No harm no foul, Jenny," Damon laughed dryly.

Jenny grinned. Anna took her hand and toyed with her engagement ring, admiring the sparkle.

"Mama," she said quietly. "Sick?"

"No, I'm not sick," Jenny said calmly, patting her back rhythmically. "I'm going to have the baby soon."

"Oh," Anna sighed.

"What do you think about that?"

Anna shrugged, poking her mother's diamond ring. She looked up at her and blinked, long dark lashes shielding her pretty eyes for a moment. She made a face.

"Where Daddy?" she asked.

"Good question," Jenny snickered, tickling her ribs gently. Anna giggled and smiled, curling up into a ball and burying her face in Jenny's side.

"You think she's ready?" Damon asked.

"You know, I'm still not sure she really gets it," Jenny said, looking over. "She's a smart two-year-old, but she doesn't say much on the matter."

"Kid doesn't talk much at all," Damon snorted. "Ellie constantly talks for her, never shuts up."

"She takes after her father," Jenny said fondly, pointing to Anna – Anna was perfectly vocal for her age, no developmental problems, she just did a lot more observing, or hand-signing, than speaking.

Jenny tilted her head back.

"She knows," she decided firmly. "We moved her into her new room a month ago, and she likes her toddler bed – Gibbs built it with sturdy sides so she doesn't roll out."

"Adam used to climb out of his crib, barely a year old," Damon said, shaking his head. "Ziva thought, okay, we'll put him in a toddler bed. First night in it, fell out, busted his mouth, bled for fifteen minutes."

Jenny gave him a sympathetic look.

"Did Ziva melt down?"

"Hell no, you know Ziva. Rolled her eyes, cleaned him up, put him back in the crib and moved Noah back in the cradle."

Jenny winced.

"I always forget how close your kids are," she said warily – she couldn't imagine having a twelve-month-old and a two-month-old at the same time.

Damon shrugged. He obviously enjoyed it.

Anna sat forward.

"Damon," she said clearly, looking at him thoughtfully. "Ellie come play?"

"Ellie's going to stay with Zeevy," Damon said placidly.

He smiled at her, and she tilted her head licking her lips. She sighed and looked around, then shifted and crawled up to Jenny again, lying back against her. She stared at the ceiling and pointed.

"Where baby?" she asked.

"You know where," Jenny responded, taking Anna's hand. She showed her, as usual, and Anna rolled over and looked at her hand on her mother's abdomen with wide, curious eyes.

"Hmmm," she murmured. "Boy?" she asked. "Girl?

"We don't know yet," Jenny answered. "What do you want?"

Anna sat up, scrunching her nose. She looked at her hand for a long time and then grinned.

"Duffy!" she cried.

Jenny laughed, leaning back. She wrapped her hand up in a blanket and squeezed, gritting her teeth through a harsher contraction. She supposed Anna would really accept the idea once the new baby had arrived.

"You good, Jenny?" Damon asked.

"You mind asking after Hetty?" Jenny asked grimly. "I want an epidural this time," she said, looking over at Anna. "I love you, Banana, but I am _never_ doing that again," she confided.

Anna snuggled up to her, and Damon left to find a nurse.

* * *

><p>The location of Kyle Boone had changed six times since NCIS raced out to apprehend him, and as the hours ticked by, Gibbs got more anxious and more frustrated. He obsessively checked his phone and his watch; no updates from Jenny, no calls from the Colonel – he couldn't get away for a minute to check in, because they needed all their attention focused on the search.<p>

This could be their only chance to catch this son of a bitch, and Jenny was right – they couldn't let a man like that run loose and wreak havoc in a world their daughter lived in.

But Gibbs wasn't on his game, and he was distracted – his wife was alone at Bethesda having a baby, for Christ's sake – hell, for all he knew she'd had the baby an hour ago. He was angry he wasn't there, wary because of the scare they'd had last time – and he wanted to get his hands on Boone and throttle him for ruining so many lives, and for taking this moment from him.

"He's good, but he ain't no Marine," growled McAlister, coming up behind Gibbs with a flashlight. "Hell, we've go to be hot on his trail – pay some damn attention, Gibbs – "

Gibbs shot him a nasty glare, and Jardine came panting up from a path.

"Torn red material up ahead, may be a makeshift bandage," she gasped. She rested a moment. "Boss, go easy on Gibbs," she said tersely. "His wife – "

"Yeah, we all got wives, we all got families," groused McAlister. "He signed up with this – look, son, I know Jen; she don't need you there. You'd be in her way," he muttered, frankly but with clear respect.

He stormed off in Jardine's direction, and Gibbs ignored the sympathetic look she shot him, gritting his teeth at McAlister's ignorance. He knew Jen didn't actually need him there – not for physical reasons – but McAlister didn't have kids; he didn't understand the fact that moral support went a long way.

And Gibbs hadn't left the Marines so he could _miss_ the birth of his second kid.

Twigs snapped next to him, and a soft rustling sounded. He turned with a flashlight and squinted into the bushes.

"Harm?" he called gruffly.

No answer told him it wasn't Agent Rabb; an NCIS agent would identify himself immediately. Gibbs went for his weapon, right as a burly man charged out of the woods and tackled him, wrenching his wrist violently to the side, and taking him down for a fistfight.

* * *

><p>Army General Jasper Shepard paced the hallway outside of the delivery room. His hands were clasped tightly behind his back, and his jaw was set – any minute now, someone should open that door and tell him he was a grandfather again, and waiting was driving him crazier by the minute.<p>

He was relieved he didn't have Anna anymore – and it was the only time in his life he was glad his little granddaughter was gone. She had been so tired and fussy for the past hour and a half that it had been a blessing when Jackie Vance had come to get her.

Damon Werth had left when Jasper arrived, and for another few hours of slow moving labor, Jasper had sat with Jenny and Anna waiting and shooting the bull. It had gotten darker, though, and past Anna's bedtime, and that was when Jenny had been ready to deliver.

Jackie came to get Anna and keep her overnight to meet her sibling in the morning, and Jasper was left alone – pacing, waiting, and wondering where the hell that idiot son-in-law of his was.

It was taking a hell of a time with this one – Anna had been born without time for an epidural; Jenny had been in labor for almost the whole day now, with it being after nine p.m. He shook his head, glad at least she'd gotten her epidural, and glad that, despite the ardor, it seemed to be going safely.

He kept repeating an anxious march: one to three, about face, one two three, about face – over and over, in front of the door, until finally a loud click sounded and the door opened wide.

He turned and stood sharply at ease, meeting Hetty Lange's calm, astute eyes, and she smiled at him, stepping back.

"Your girl's awake and fine," she said, ushering him in.

Jasper stormed in in his usual imposing manner, letting the door fall heavily closed. He ignored the efficient bustle of nurses cleaning up and quietly staying out of the way and zeroed in on his daughter, looking very alone in the middle of the room with no husband hovering next to her.

She was sitting up with pillows behind her; her hair knotted and tied up, focused completely on the infant in her arms. Jasper stepped up next to her swiftly, bending to see, and she looked up, her green eyes shining with relief and delight.

"I thought it was going to go past midnight," she said breathlessly. Her lips were red and chapped, and she was flushed and sweaty.

He shook his head, showing her his watch.

"No, it's almost ten," he said gruffly. "Jenny—"

"I know, it's November tenth," she said, licking her lips. "It's the Marine Corp Birthday, Daddy – "

"Jennifer, it's wrapped in white and green," he broke in, nodding at her words but giving her a pained look.

"Oh," she said, startled. She laughed, and looked down, tilting up her arms a little. She pushed open the blanket a little and smiled, glancing back up at him with raised brows. "It's a girl!"

Her father grinned proudly, clasping her on the back. He squeezed her shoulder, and bent to give her a chaste, paternal kiss on the top of her head. He reached down and stroked the baby's cheek, waiting to see if she'd open her eyes. She didn't; she started fussing, crying.

Jenny wrinkled her nose affectionately, and shushed her quietly.

"What goes with Kelly, what goes with Kelly," she murmured. She looked up at her father. "I get this one, that's fair," she said quickly. "He was on his own with Anna…?"

Jasper shrugged.

A young nurse approached with a hospital bracelet for the baby, a clipboard and pen and another blanket, reaching out for her.

"Baby girl Gibbs?" she asked politely.

Jenny held the baby closer, pausing a moment, relaxing, just thinking. She thought of their options, of all the 'K' names they'd considered – she kept going back to one, one that was easy for Anna to say, regal – like old Hollywood and royalty, timeless –

"Dad, Katharyn?" she asked. "You like Katharyn?"

"Can I call her Kit-Kat?"

Jenny laughed softly.

"You can call her whatever you want," she placated. "I'll call her Katharyn," she murmured.

The nurse beamed, and made a mark on her clipboard.

"K-A-T-H-A-R-Y-N," Jenny provided. "Middle: K-E-L-L-Y," she added.

She swallowed hard, bending to kiss the baby's forehead. She didn't remember the procedure from last time, since she'd passed out, but she did know from what Gibbs had told her that they'd take the baby to the nursery to clean her up and check her out.

She bit her lip, but didn't protest when a different nurse took the baby, wrapped her up tight, and let the bracelet be put around her tiny wrist before they both left with the baby.

Jasper kissed the top of her head again, and Hetty came to stand at her side, hands in the pockets of her scrubs.

"You're all set," she said. "Let's move you somewhere more comfortable," she said, beaming.

* * *

><p>It only took half an hour to settle Jenny into a recovery room, sign the birth certificate and other required legal papers, and get Katharyn cleaned and swaddled and in her mother's room for the night.<p>

Jenny was admiring the baby, rocking her gently, when Jasper's phone went off shrilly and he fumbled with it, checking the caller identification. It was exactly who it should be.

"He's here," he said gruffly, turning on his heel before Jenny could answer and heading out of the recovery room to the waiting area.

Staff must have directed Gibbs towards the maternity ward, because he came barreling around a corner and nearly mowed down his father-in-law in his rush. The General grabbed him firmly and stopped him – the man looked like he'd been through the wringer; tired, dirty, scraped up.

"What the hell happened to you?" Jasper asked.

Gibbs opened his mouth, and Jasper shook his head. He placed a well-aimed slap to the back of his son-in-law's head and narrowed his eyes.

"Never mind," he growled. "What's the matter with you, son, you don't even have a deployment as an excuse!"

Gibbs shoved Jasper's arms off of him and gave him a look, stepping to the side and starting to move past him.

"Jen told me – " he started defensively.

"Just get in there," Jasper said, starting to smile. He pointed. "First door on the left."

Gibbs turned, starting to run again, and then glanced back. Jasper could tell by the look on his face what he was asking, and he nodded at Gibbs, giving him a firm smile and a two thumbs up – Jenny was all right, it had all gone to plan this time, as far as her part went.

Gibbs' missing it was an entirely different matter.

* * *

><p>Gibbs entered the room quietly, his heart pounding and his mouth dry. Without acquiescing to medical attention, he'd left the woods where they'd finally apprehended Kyle Boone and, at breakneck speed, hardly stopping even at red lights on his way. He was surprised to be told she'd only had the baby half an hour ago – poor Jen – when he arrived, and wasted no time getting to her.<p>

It was a welcome sight, to see her upright, relaxed, and healthy-looking in that hospital bed; it was so different from when he'd been here with her for Anna. She looked calm and happy, and the little plastic mobile crib was next to her.

She sat up a little more when she heard him shut the door, drawing her knees up. The baby was swaddled tightly in her arms, and she held one hand to her lips to indicate his second child was sleeping.

He sat down gingerly next to her, his thigh pressing into hers, and she leaned forward, giving him a beautiful view of the sleeping baby. He reached for the tiny arm, running his thumb over the bracelet.

"Happy Birthday, Marine," Jenny said softly, smugly.

He gave her a curious look, distracted from finding out if he had a daughter or a son, and then he grinned, catching her meaning, and he smirked – November tenth, anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps' creation.

He leaned closer to Jenny, his hand still holding the baby's lightly. He arched his eyebrows.

"You're two for nothing, Jethro," she said softly. "It's a girl."

He broke into a huge grin, and lunged forward to kiss her, his free arm going around her in a tight hug. She smiled and burrowed into the hug, reveling in it for a moment, and he pulled back. She tilted her head at him curiously, and he shrugged, giving her a sly look.

"Wanted another girl," he confessed gruffly. He shrugged; he knew she'd been assuming he wanted a son. He'd have been happy either way, but he loved Anna so much –

He checked the nametag, nodding approvingly.

"Katharyn," he tried, liking it.

"Katharyn Kelly," she added. "And, Anna Abigayle," she sighed, content. "Dad asked to call her Kit-Kat – Kit-Kat, and Banana, then."

"Whatever he calls her, figure Anna's gonna call her 'Duffy'," Gibbs pointed out dryly.

Jenny laughed, and shifted, squeezing his knee.

"Hold her, Jethro," she murmured, handing the new baby over.

Gibbs took her confidently, securing her against his chest and supporting her head deftly. He smiled down at her, pleased to see her sleeping so peacefully – content with another healthy, gorgeous baby daughter. He cleared his throat and looked up.

"Jen, 'M sorry, I – "

"Did you get him?" she interrupted.

He looked wary.

"Boone," she clarified. "You get him?"

Gibbs swallowed hard. He didn't want to discuss that right now; it didn't seem appropriate. He met her eyes pointedly, hoping she'd understand – and she seemed to – that Kyle Boone wouldn't menace anyone ever again. Jenny nodded firmly, swallowing hard – she hoped someone else had made the kill shot.

She cupped Katharyn's head gently, smiling at her.

"You know how lucky you are?" she asked. "Daddy's already slaying dragons for you."

She looked up and bit her lip, surveying her husband.

"Are you all right?" she asked tersely, noting his busted lip, his swollen, blackened right eye.

He just nodded stiffly – he was fine. His wrist was probably sprained, but he'd see to it later. He was determined now to just sit here in the quiet with his wife and new baby.

He held her a little closer. He was still sorry he'd missed it, but he was here now, and he'd be here for her for the rest of her life. He moved his arms up and pressed his lips to Katharyn's brow. Jenny lay back, exhausted, watching silently. She turned onto her side and let her eyes fall closed a little.

"Daddy's going to pick Anna up from Jackie's and bring her tomorrow morning," she said sleepily.

Gibbs nodded, smirking a little – he was curious to see Anna's reaction. He figured they better get some pictures; the story could be a funny one or a cute one – either way, it was sure to be memorable.

"Jethro," Jenny murmured, her eyes closed lightly. "What are we going to do with two of them?" she sighed good-naturedly.

Gibbs watched her fall asleep a moment, letting silence do the talking, and when she was breathing evenly next to him, he just shrugged a little, rocking Katharyn, and giving her a light, protective nod. He wasn't worried – their mother was a force to be reckoned with, a law student, analyst, and parent rolled into one; he knew exactly what they'd do with two of them.

They'd raise them – and hell, now they knew what they were doing.

* * *

><p><em><span>November 10th, 2018<span>_  
><em><span>Bethesda, Maryland<span>_

* * *

><p><em>-alexandra<em>


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